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Asbjornsen 

Tales  from  the  f jeld 


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Tales    from    the    Fjeld 


*v/. 


The  Return   after 


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Page  175- 


Vrom    ilje   jk 


P.  Qi.  Asbjomsen, 


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/  *;    ~^£j?S'ir  George  Dasent.  d.cl.   * 


T^les    from    tr;e    Norse.  ^-^   \ 


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PREFACE 

THE  Tales  contained  in  this  volume  form  a  series 
of  those  "  Popular  Tales  from  the  Norse,"  which 
have  been  received  with  much  favour  in  this 
country,  and  of  which  three  editions  have  been  pub- 
lished. A  part  of  them  appeared  some  years  ago  in  Once 
a  Week,  from  which  they  have  been  reprinted  by  per- 
mission of  the  proprietors — the  Norse  originals,  from 
which  they  were  translated,  having  been  communicated 
by  the  translator's  friend,  P.  Chr.  Asbjornsen,  to  various 
Christmas  books  published  in  Christiania.  In  1871, 
Mr.  Asbjornsen  collected  those  scattered  Tales  and 
added  some  more  to  them,  which  he  published  under 
the  title  "Norske  Folke-Eventyr  fortalte  of  P.  Chr. 
Asbjornsen,  Ny  Samling."     It  is  from  this  new  series, 

as  revised  by  the  collector,  that  the  present  version  has 

b 


vi  Preface 

been  made.  In  it  the  translator  has  trodden  in  the 
path  laid  down  in  the  first  series  of  "  Tales  from  the 
Norse,"  and  tried  to  turn  his  Norse  original  into  mother 
English,  which  any  one  that  runs  may  read. 

This  plan  has  met  with  favour  abroad  as  well  as 
at  home,  and  it  is  grateful  to  him  to  find  that  in  Nor- 
way, the  cradle  of  these  beautiful  stories,  his  efforts 
have  been  warmly  appreciated  by  Messrs.  Asbjornsen 
and  Moe,  who  in  their  preface  to  the  third  edition, 
Christiania,  1866,  speak  in  the  following  terms  of 
his  version  : — "  In  France  and  England  collections  have 
appeared  in  which  our  Tales  have  not  only  been  cor- 
rectly and  faultlessly  translated,  but  even  rendered 
with  exemplary  truth  and  care  —  nay,  with  thor- 
ough mastery.  The  English  translation,  by  George 
Webbe  Dasent,  is  the  best  and  happiest  rendering 
of  our  Tales  that  has  appeared,  and  it  has  in  England 
been  more  successful,  and  become  far  more  widely 
known,  than  the  originals  here  at  home."  Then, 
speaking  of  the  Introduction,  Messrs.  Asbjornsen  and 
Moe  go  on  to  say,  "  We  have  here  added  the  end 
of  this  Introduction  to  show  how  the  translator  has 
understood  and  grasped  the  relation  in  which  these 
Tales  stand  to  Norse  nature  and  the  life  of  the  people, 
and  how  they  have  sprung  out  of  both." 

The  title  of  this  volume,  "Tales  from  the  Fjeld," 
arose  out  of  the  form  in  which  they  were  published 
in  Once  a    Week.     The    translator  began  by  setting 


Preface  vii 

them  in  a  frame  formed  by  the  imaginary  adventures 
of  English  sportsmen  on  the  Fjeld  or  Fells  in  Norway. 
After  a  while  he  grew  weary  of  the  setting  and 
framework,  and  when  about  a  third  of  the  volume 
had  been  thus  framed,  he  resolved  to  let  the  Tales 
speak  for  themselves,  and  stand  alone,  as  in  the  first 
series  of  "  Popular  Tales  from  the  Norse."  This  frame- 
work has  been  omitted  in  the  present  edition. 

With  regard  to  the  bearing  of  these  Tales  on  the 
question  of  the  diffusion  of  race  and  tradition,  much 
might  be  said,  but  he  has  already  traversed  the  same 
ground  in  the  Introduction  to  the  "Tales  from  the 
Norse."  It  will  be  enough  here  to  mention  that 
several  of  the  Tales  now  published  are  variations, 
though  very  interesting  ones,  from  some  of  those  in 
the  first  series.  Others  are  rather  the  harvest  of 
popular  experience  than  mythical  tales ;  and  on  the 
whole,  the  character  of  this  volume  is  more  jocose  and 
less  poetical  than  that  of  its  predecessor.  In  a  word, 
they  are,  many  of  them,  what  the  Germans  would  call 
"  Schwanke." 

Of  this  kind  are  the  Tales  called  "The  Charcoal- 
Burner,"  "Our  Parish  Clerk,"  and  "The  Parson  and 
the  Clerk."  In  "Goody  'Gainst-the-Stream,"  and 
"Silly  Men  and  Cunning  Wives,"  the  reader  skilled 
in  popular  fiction  will  find  two  tales  of  Indian 
origin,  both  of  which  are  widespread  in  the  folk- 
lore of  the  West,  and  make  their  appearance  in  the 


viii  Preface 

Facetiae  of  Poggio.  The  Beast  Epic,  in  which  Jacob 
Grimm  so  delighted,  is  largely  represented,  and  the 
stories  of  that  kind  in  this  volume  are  among  the 
best  that  have  been  collected.  One  of  the  most 
mythical,  and  at  the  same  time  one  of  the  most 
domestic,  stories  of  those  now  published  is,  perhaps, 
"The  Father  of  the  Family,"  which  ought  rather  to 
have  been  called  "The  Seventh,  the  Father  of  the 
Family,"  as  it  is  not  till  the  wayfarer  has  inquired 
seven  times  from  as  many  generations  of  old  men 
that  he  finds  the  real  father  of  the  family.  Mr. 
Ralston,  the  accomplished  writer  and  editor  of 
"  Russian  Popular  Tales,"  has  pointed  out  in  an 
article  on  these  Norse  Tales,  which  appeared  in 
Eraser's  Magazine  for  December  1872,  the  probable 
antiquity  of  this  story,  which  he  classes  with  the 
Rigsmal  of  the  Elder  Edda.  That  it  was  known  in 
England  two  centuries  ago,  is  proved  by  the  curious 
fact  that  it  has  got  woven  into  the  life  of  "Old 
Jenkins,"  whose  mythical  age,  as  well  as  that  of 
"  Old  Parr,"  Mr.  Thorns  has  recently  demolished  in 
his  book  on  the  "Longevity  of  Man."  The  story  as 
quoted  by  Mr.  Thorns,  from  Clarkson's  "  History 
and  Antiquities  of  Richmond,"  in  Yorkshire,  is  so 
curious,  that  it  is  worth  while  to  give  it  at  length. 
There  had  been  some  legal  dispute  in  which  the 
evidence  of  Old  Jenkins,  as  confessedly  "  the  oldest 
inhabitant,"   was    required,   and    the    agent  of    Mrs. 


Preface  ix 

Wastell,  one  of  the  parties,  went  to  visit  the  old 
man.  "Previous  to  Jenkins  going  to  York,"  says 
Mr.  Clarkson,  "  when  the  agent  of  Mrs.  Wastell  went 
to  him  to  find  out  what  account  he  could  give  of 
the  matter  in  dispute,  he  saw  an  old  man  sitting  at 
the  door,  to  whom  he  told  his  business.  The  old 
man  said  '  He  could  remember  nothing  about  it,  but 
that  he  would  find  his  father  in  the  house,  who 
perhaps  could  satisfy  him.'  When  he  went  in,  he 
saw  another  old  man  sitting  over  the  fire,  bowed 
down  with  years,  to  whom  he  repeated  his  former 
questions.  With  some  difficulty  he  made  him  under- 
stand what  he  had  said,  and  after  a  little  while  got 
the  following  answer,  which  surprised  him  very  much : 
'That  he  knew  nothing  about  it,  but  that  if  he  would 
go  into  the  yard  he  would  meet  with  his  father,  who 
perhaps  could  tell  him.'  The  agent  upon  this  thought 
that  he  had  met  with  a  race  of  Antediluvians.  How- 
ever into  the  yard  he  went,  and,  to  his  no  small  aston- 
ishment, found  a  venerable  man  with  a  long  beard, 
and  a  broad  leathern  belt  about  him,  chopping  sticks. 
To  this  man  he  again  told  his  business,  and  received 
such  information  as  in  the  end  recovered  the  royalty 
in  dispute.  The  fact  is,"  adds  Mr.  Thorns,  "that 
the  story  of  Jenkins'  son  and  grandson  is  only  a 
Yorkshire  version  of  the  story  as  old  or  older  than 
Jenkins  himself,  namely,  of  the  very  old  man  who 
was  seen  crying  because  his  father  had  beaten  him 


A 


x  Preface 

for  throwing  stones  at  his  grandfather."  On  which 
it  may  be  remarked,  that  however  old  Old  Jenkins 
may  have  been,  this  story  has  probably  outlived  as 
many  generations  as  popular  belief  gave  years  to  his 
life.  Another  old  story  is  "Death  and  the  Doctor," 
which  centuries  ago  got  entangled  with  the  history 
of  the  family  of  Bethune  in  Scotland,  who  were  sup- 
posed to  possess  an  hereditary  gift  of  leechcraft, 
derived  in  the  same  way.  "Friends  in  Life  and' 
Death "  is  a  Norse  variation  of  Rip  Van  Winkle, 
which  is  nothing  more  nor  less  than  a  Dutch  popular 
tale ;  while  the  lassie  who  won  the  prince  by  fulfilling 
his  conditions  of  coming  to  him  "  not  driving  and  not 
riding,  not  walking  and  not  carried,  not  fasting  and 
not  full-fed,  not  naked  and  not  clad,  not  by  daylight 
and  not  by  night,"  has  its  variations  in  many  lands. 
It  is  no  little  proof  of  the  wonderful  skill  of  Hans 
Christian  Andersen,  and  at  the  same  time  of  his  power 
to  enter  into  the  spirit  of  popular  fiction,  that  he  has 
worked  the  tale  of  "The  Companion"  into  one  of  his 
most  happy  stories. 

In  this  volume,  as  in  the  former  one,  the  translator, 
while  striving  to  be  as  truthful  as  possible,  has  in  the 
case  of  some  characters  adopted  the  English  equivalent 
rather  than  a  literal  rendering  from  the  Norse.  Thus 
"  Askpot "  is  still  "  Boots,"  the  youngest  of  the  family, 
on  whom  falls  all  the  dirty  work,  and  not  "Cinder- 
bob  "  or  the  Scottish  "  Ashiepet."     "  Tyrihans  "  he  has 


"Preface  xi 

rendered  almost  literally  "Taper  Tom,"  the  name 
meaning  not  slender  or  limber  Tom,  but  Tom  who 
sits  in  the  ingle  and  makes  tapers  or  matchwood  of 
resinous  fir  to  be  used  instead  of  candles.  Some  of 
the  Tales,  such  as  "The  Charcoal-Burner, "  "Our 
Parish  Clerk,"  and  "The  Sheep  and  the  Pig  who  set 
up  House,"  are  filled  with  proverbs  which  it  was  often 
very  difficult  to  render.  On  this  and  other  points  it 
must  be  left  to  others  to  say  whether  he  has  succeeded 
or  not.  But  if  his  readers,  young  and  old,  will  only 
remember  that  things  which  seem  easiest  are  often  the 
hardest  to  do,  they  will  be  as  gentle  readers  as  those 
he  desired  to  find  for  his  first  volume ;  and  so  long  as 
they  are  of  that  spirit,  he  is  sure  to  be  well  pleased. 


Contents 


xv 


PAGE 

how  they  got  hairlock  home  ....  254 
Osborn  Boots  and  Mr.  Glibtongue    .        .        .261 

This  is  the  Lad  who  Sold  the  Pig    .        .        .  274 

^The  Sheep  and  the  Pig  who  set  up  House     .  283 

The  Golden  Palace  that  Hung  in  the  Air    .  289 

— fciTTLE  Freddy  with  his  Fiddle  ....  312 

Mother  Roundabout's  Daughter        .        .        .  323 

The  Green  Knight 333 

Boots  and  his  Crew 341 

The  Town-Mouse  and  the  Fell-Mouse     .        .  353 

Silly  Matt 358 

King  Valemon,  the  White  Bear  ....  376 

The  Golden  Bird 391 


PLATES 

PAGE 

"  The  return  after  four  hundred  years"        .         .         .  Frontispiece 

"  The  queen  would  go  herself  and  fetch  the  pipe"  n 

"  He  must  and  would  have  the  land-tax  "    .....  51 

"'Aye,  aye;  I  have  it,' said  the  lad"          .....  85 

"  There  sat  Death  at  her  pillow  " 113 

"  I  am  so  pretty  " 163 

The  prince  dismissing  his  sweetheart 234 

The  princess  and  the  falcon          .......  240 

"  Outside  the  gate  lay  the  dragons  " 298 

"  All  that  were  there  fell  a-dancing  at  once  "       ....  320 

"  The  trap-door  tipped  up  with  the  bride  "         ....  389 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACE 

Initial  letter I 

"  Her  nose  stuck  fast  in  a  log  of  wood"      .....  2 

"  He  piped  them  all  together " 7 

The  princess         ..........  9 

The  king 13 

"  He  gaped  so  wide  "  .         . 15 

"  Paws  off,  pussy" 19 

"  An  old  wife  came  walking  by  "           ......  21 

Initial  letter 21 

"  The  cat  sitting  up  at  the  mainmast  head"        ....  26 
xvii 


xviii  List  of  Illustrations 

PAGE 

Initial  letter 28 

The  handquern,  the  chair,  and  the  door 29 

The  greedy  cat 33 

The  squirrel 35 

"  So  she  rushed  at  the  sun  " 40 

The  five  goodies  and  the  egg 42 

Grumblegizzard  chips  the  egg      .         .         .         .         .         .         .  43 

Grumblegizzard  cuts  down  the  wood 46 

Old  Nick  beats  his  mother 53 

The  castle  by  the  lake 54 

The  bridge  ...........  59 

The  king  in  the  air 60 

Initial  letter 61 

"' Bow-wow,  bow-wow,' it  said  "        ......  62 

"  So  she  crawled  up  on  her  knees  " 63 

Reynard  and  chanticleer 65 

"  Here  comes  a  hunter" 66 

Initial  letter 68 

"Be  so  good  as  to  sit  down" 71 

"  The  goat  set  off" 76 

"  The  princess  was  even  more  high  and  haughty  than  before  "   .  80 

"  She  fondled  the  Troll " 83 

"  He  met  two  who  had  slain  a  man  "  .         .....  90 

"  Kissed  him  all  shaggy  as  he  was  " 94 

Initial  letter          .                 95 

"  There  stood  the  king  in  the  porch  " 96 

"  Boiled  the  porridge  on  the  block  "    ......  98 

"  She  fell  on  the  floor  as  though  she  were  dead  "         .  101 

"  So  he  fell  a-wrangling  with  the  queen  " 102 

"  Miss  Peik  sewed  and  stitched  " 104 

"  He  was  so  dry  and  lean "  .         .         .         .         .         .         .110 

"  He  tilted  up  the  stone  "    ........  116 

"  Now  I'm  coming  to  eat  you"   .......  118 

"I  can  well  slip  through  your  feet,  Goosey  Poosey"   .         .         .  124 

"' Ouf,  ouf,' said  the  pig  " 125 

The  hare  frisking 128 

Initial  letter »  137 

The  little  girl  and  the  beggar-boy        ......  137 

"  He  saw  an  old  hag  "         ........  14° 

"  So  he  went  up  to  the  mansion-house  " 145 

Initial  letter 146 

"  Tell  me  now  what  there  is  in  this  tankard  "     ....  155 

Boy  and  the  box 157 


List  of  Illustrations  xix 

1'AG.E 

Initial  letter 158 

"  Such  a  swarm  of  little  Trolls  "  .         ......  160 

"She  was  dressed  and  clad  like  a  princess  "         .         .         .         .  165 

"  The  king  met  him  out  in  the  porch  "         .....  169 

"  He  knocked  at  his  grave  " 171 

"  The  old  hag  with  her  basket  "  .         ......  181 

"  So  he  took  up  a  birch  cudgel "         .         .        .         .         .         .  186 

The  king 187 

A  ship 188 

Initial  letter          ..........  195 

"  He  lay  snoring  "        .........  198 

"  There  he  sat  upright  "........  201 

Two  goodies  who  quarrell-d        .......  209 

"  Nothing. ails  me  " 210 

Initial  letter 213 

"  A  wonderful  figure  of  fun  "        .......  215 

"  Hang  on  if  you  care  to  come"           ......  220 

Initial  letter 222 

Initial  letter          ....         ......  226 

"  Old  Nick  came  on  board  in  a  gust  of  wind  "     .         .         .  227 

"Pump,  devil,  pump"        ........  228 

"  Shall  we  reap  the  field  now  "    .......  231 

Initial  letter '    .  237 

"  '  Oh  !  '  said  the  princess,  '  there  is  some  one  hcrj '  "         .         .  -241 

The  falcon  .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  244 

Initial  letter 247 

"  She  saw  ever  so  many  chests  of  drawers  "         .         .         .         .  249 

Initial  letter          ..........  254 

"  Go  to  the  smith  "      .........  258 

"  He  met  the  old  wife" 264 

The  king 266 

"  Out  came  her  eldest  daughter  "         ......  267 

"  Lay  your  head  on  my  lap  "       .......  268 

"  He  caught  the  Troll  " 272 

"  His  coat-tails  were  higher  than  his  neck  ''....  273 

"  Flogging  the  old  hunks  "  .         .......  277 

"  Dressed  himself  up  as  a  doctor  " 278 

Initial  letter 2S3 

The  pig 288 

"  Could  only  walk  with  a  stick  "          ......  289 

"  The  likeness  of  a  young  girl  or  princess  "          ....  291 

A  baby  Troll        ..........  294 

"  There  sat  a  princess  spinning  " 301 


xx  List  of  Illustrations 

PAr.E 

"  There  lay  another  princess  " 306 

"  A  strange  ship  of  war  " 309 

The  ass       ...........  311 

"  The  sheriff  began  to  dance  " 317 


In  tial  letter 


323 


"  He  had  to  jump  over  a  bog-hole  "......  327 

"  So  the  goody  came  out  of  doors  "     ......  329 

Initial  letter 333 

"  The  Green  Knight  came  to  her  " 335 

"  The  princess  stepped  into  the  church  porch  "  ....  338 

Initial  letter          ..........  341 

"  He  met  the  same  old  man "      .         .         .         .         .         .         .341 

"  I'm  a  dead-shot  up  to  the  world's  end"    .....  346 

Initial  letter 353 

Silly  Matt 358 

"  He  set  off  and  wooed  a  lass  " 367 

"  There  sat  that  figure  of  fun  "    .......  -370 

Initial  letter 376 

The  white  bear 377 

The  castle 379 

"  She  held  the  candle  over  him  " 381 

"  In  that  town  there  was  an  inn"         ......  392 

"  One  of  the  musicians  "      ........  396 

"  He  had  got  the  bird  on  his  fist  " 397 

"  I'll  kill  you  on  the  spot  "  . 398 

"  They  came  to  the  spot  where  the  lovely  maiden  was  "      .         .  400 

"  Three  Trolls  came  flying  along  " 401 

The  end .  403 


TALES  FROM  THE  FJELD 


Osborn's  Pipe 


NCE  on  a  time  there  was  a 

poor  tenant-farmer   who 

had  to  give  up  his  farm 

to  his  landlord ;    but,   if 

he  had  lost  his  farm,  he 

had   three  sons  left,  and 

their  names  were  Peter, 

Paul,  and  Osborn  Boots. 

They    stayed     at     home 

and  sauntered  about,  and 

wouldn't  do  a  stroke  of 

work ;  that  they  thought  was  the  right  thing  to  do. 

They  thought,  too,  they  were  too  good  for  everything, 

and  that  nothing  was  good  enough  for  them. 

At  last  Peter  had  got  to  hear  how  the  king  would 
have  a  keeper  to  watch  his  hares;  so  he  said  to  his 
father  that  he  would  be  off  thither :  the  place  would 
just  suit  him,  for  he  would  serve  no  lower  man  than 
the  king ;  that  was  what  he  said.  The  old  father 
thought  there  might  be  work  for  which  he  was  better 


2  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

fitted  than  that ;  for  he  that  would  keep  the  king's 
hares  must  be  light  and  lissom,  and  no  lazy-bones, 
and  when  the  hares  began  to  skip  and  frisk  there 
would  be  quite  another  dance  than  loitering  about 
from  house  to  house.  Well,  it  was  all  no  good : 
Peter  wculd  go,  and  must  go,  so  he  took  his  scrip 
on  his  back,  and  toddled  away  down  the  hill ;  and 
when  he  had  gone  far,  and  farther  than  far,  he  came 


to  an  old  wife,  who  stood  there  with  her  nose  stuck 
fast  in  a  log  of  wood,  and  pulled  and  pulled  at  it ;  and 
as  soon  as  he  saw  how  she  stood  dragging  and  pulling 
to  get  free  he  burst  into  a  loud  fit  of  laughter. 

"  Don't  stand  there  and  grin,"  said  the  old  wife, 
"  but  come  and  help  an  old  cripple ;  I  was  to  have 
split  asunder  a  little  firewood,  and  I  got  my  nose  fast 
down  here,  and  so  I  have  stood  and  tugged  and  torn 


Osbortfs  Pipe  3 

and  not  tasted  a  morsel  of  food  for  hundreds  of  years." 
That  was  what  she  said. 

But  for  all  that  Peter  laughed  more  and  more. 
He  thought  it  all  fine  fun.  All  he  said  was,  as  she 
had  stood  so  for  hundreds  of  years  she  might  hold 
out  for  hundreds  of  years  still. 

When  he  got  to  the  king's  grange,  they  took  him 
for  keeper  at  once.  It  was  not  bad  serving  there, 
and  he  was  to  have  good  food  and  good  pay,  and 
maybe  the  princess  into  the  bargain;  but  if  one  of 
the  king's  hares  got  lost,  they  were  to  cut  three  red 
stripes  out  of  his  back  and  cast  him  into  a  pit  of 
snakes. 

So  long  as  Peter  was  in  the  byre  and  home-field 
he  kept  all  the  hares  in  one  flock  :  but  as  the  day 
wore  on,  and  they  got  up  into  the  wood,  all  the  hares 
began  to  frisk,  and  skip,  and  scuttle  away  up  and 
down  the  hillocks.  Peter  ran  after  them  this  way 
and  that,  and  nearly  burst  himself  with  running, 
so  long  as  he  could  make  out  that  he  had  one  of 
them  left,  and  when  the  last  was  gone  he  was  almost 
broken-winded.  And  after  that  he  saw  nothing  more 
of  them. 

When  it  drew  towards  evening  he  sauntered  along 
on  his  way  home,  and  stood  and  called  and  called  to 
them  at  each  fence,  but  no  hares  came ;  and  when  he 
got  home  to  the  king's  grange,  there  stood  the  king 
all  ready  with  his  knife,  and  he  took  and  cut  three 
red  stripes  out  of  Peter's  back,  and  then  rubbed  pepper 
and  salt  into  them,  and  cast  him  into  a  pit  of  snakes. 

After  a  time,  Paul  was  for  going  to  the  king's 
grange  to  keep  the  king's  hares.     The  old  gaffer  said 


4  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

the  same  thing  to  him,  and  even  still  more;  but  he 
must  and  would  set  off;  there  was  no  help  for  it, 
and  things  went  neither  better  nor  worse  with  him 
than  with  Peter.  The  old  wife  stood  there  and  tugged 
and  tore  at  her  nose  to  get  it  out  of  the  log ;  he 
laughed,  and  thought  it  fine  fun,  and  left  her  standing 
and  hacking  there.  He  got  the  place  at  once ;  no  one 
said  him  nay;  but  the  hares  hopped  and  skipped  away 
from  him  down  all  the  hillocks,  while  he  rushed  about 
till  he  blew  and  panted  like  a  collie-dog  in  the  dog- 
days  ;  and  when  he  got  home  at  night  to  the  king's 
grange  without  a  hare,  the  king  stood  ready  with  his 
knife  in  the  porch,  and  took  and  cut  three  broad  red 
stripes  out  of  his  back,  and  rubbed  pepper  and  salt 
into  them,  and  so  down  he  went  into  the  pit  of 
snakes. 

Now,  when  a  little  while  had  passed,  Osborn  Boots 
was  all  for  setting  off  to  keep  the  king's  hares,  and  he 
told  his  mind  to  the  gaffer.  He  thought  it  would  be 
just  the  right  work  for  him  to  go  into  the  woods  and 
fields,  and  along  the  wild  strawberry  brakes,  and  to 
drag  a  flock  of  hares  with  him,  and  between  whiles  to 
lie  and  sleep  and  warm  himself  on  the  sunny  hillsides. 

The  gaffer  thought  there  might  be  work  which 
suited  him  better ;  if  it  didn't  go  worse,  it  was  sure  not 
to  go  better  with  him  than  with  his  two  brothers.  The 
man  to  keep  the  king's  hares  must  not  dawdle  about 
like  a  lazy-bones  with  leaden  soles  to  his  stockings, 
or  like  a  fly  in  a  tar-pot ;  for  when  they  fell  to  frisking 
and  skipping  on  the  sunny  slopes,  it  would  be  quite 
another  dance  to  catching  fleas  with  gloves  on.  No ; 
he  that  would  get  rid  of  that  work  with  a  whole  back 


Osborn's  Pipe  5 

had  need  to  be  more  than  lithe  and  lissom,  and  he 
must  fly  about  faster  than  a  bladder  or  a  bird's  wing. 

"Well,  well,  it  was  all  no  good,  however  bad  it 
might  be,"  said  Osborn  Boots.  He  would  go  to  the 
king's  grange  and  serve  the  king,  for  no  lesser  man 
would  he  serve,  and  he  would  soon  keep  the  hares. 
They  couldn't  well  be  worse  than  the  goat  and  calf  at 
home.  So  Boots  threw  his  scrip  on  his  shoulder,  and 
down  the  hill  he  toddled. 

So  when  he  had  gone  far,  and  farther  than  far, 
and  had  begun  to  get  right  down  hungry,  he  too  came 
to  the  old  wife,  who  stood  with  her  nose  fast  in  the 
log,  who  tugged,  and  tore,  and  tried  to  get  loose. 

"  Good-day,  grandmother,"  said  Boots.  "  Are  you 
standing  there  whetting  your  nose,  poor  old  cripple 
that  you  are  ?  " 

"  Now,  not  a  soul  has  called  me  '  mother '  for  hun- 
dreds of  years,"  said  the  old  wife.  "  Do  come  and  help 
me  to  get  free,  and  give  me  something  to  live  on ;  for 
I  haven't  had  meat  in  my  mouth  all  that  time.  See 
if  I  don't  do  you  a  motherly  turn  afterwards." 

Yes ;  he  thought  she  might  well  ask  for  a  bit  of 
food  and  a  drop  of  drink. 

So  he  cleft  the  log  for  her,  that  she  might  get  her 
nose  out  of  the  split,  and  sat  down  to  eat  and  drink 
with  her;  and  as  the  old  wife  had  a  good  appetite, 
you  may  fancy  she  got  the  lion's  share  of  the  meal. 

When  they  were  done,  she  gave  Boots  a  pipe, 
which  was  in  this  wise :  when  he  blew  into  one  end 
of  it,  anything  that  he  wished  away  was  scattered  to 
the  four  winds,  and  when  he  blew  into  the  other,  all 
things  gathered  themselves  together  again ;  and  if  the 


6  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

pipe  were  lost  or  taken  from  him,  he  had  only  to  wish 
for  it,  and  it  came  back  to  him. 

"  Something  like  a  pipe,  this,"  said  Osborn  Boots. 

When  he  got  to  the  king's  grange,  they  chose 
him  for  keeper  on  the  spot.  It  was  no  bad  service 
there,  and  food  and  wages  he  should  have,  and,  if  he 
were  man  enough  to  keep  the  king's  hares,  he  might, 
perhaps,  get  the  princess  too ;  but  if  one  of  them  got 
away,  if  it  were  only  a  leveret,  they  were  to  cut  three 
red  stripes  out  of  his  back.  And  the  king  was  so  sure 
of  this  that  he  went  off  at  once  and  ground  his  knife. 

It  would  be  a  small  thing  to  keep  these  hares, 
thought  Osborn  Boots;  for  when  they  set  out  they 
were  almost  as  tame  as  a  flock  of  sheep,  and  so  long 
as  he  was  in  the  lane  and  in  the  home-field,  he  had 
them  all  easily  in  a  flock  and  following ;  but  when  they 
got  upon  the  hill  by  the  wood,  and  it  looked  towards 
midday,  and  the  sun  began  to  burn  and  shine  on  the 
slopes  and  hillsides,  all  the  hares  fell  to  frisking  and 
skipping  about,  and  away  over  the  hills. 

"  Ho,  ho  !  stop  !  will  you  all  go  ?  Go,  then !  "  said 
Boots ;  and  he  blew  into  one  end  of  the  pipe,  so  that 
they  ran  off  on  all  sides,  and  there  was  not  one  of  them 
left.  But  as  he  went  on,  and  came  to  an  old  charcoal 
pit,  he  blew  into  the  other  end  of  the  pipe ;  and  before 
he  knew  where  he  was,  the  hares  were  all  there,  and 
stood  in  lines  and  rows,  so  that  he  could  take  them  all 
in  at  a  glance,  just  like  a  troop  of  soldiers  on  parade. 
"Something  like  a  pipe,  this,"  said  Osborn  Boots;  and 
with  that  he  laid  him  down  to  sleep  away  under  a  sunny 
slope,  and  the  hares  frisked  and  frolicked  about  till 
eventide.     Then  he  piped  them  all  together  again,  and 


Osborris  Pipe 


7 


came  down  to  the  king's  grange  with  them,  like  a  flock 
of  sheep. 

The  king  and  the  queen,  and  the  princess,  too,  all 
stood  in  the  porch,  and  wondered  what  sort  of  fellow 
this  was  who  so  kept  the  hares  that  he  brought  them 
home  again ;  and  the  king  told  and  reckoned  them  on 
his  fingers,  and  counted   them  over  and   over  again; 


but  there  was  not  one  of  them  missing — no !  not  so 
much  as  a  leveret. 

"Something  like  a  lad,  this,"  said  the  princess. 

Next  day  he  went  off  to  the  wood,  and  was  to 
keep  the  hares  again;  but  as  he  lay  and  rested  him- 
self on  a  strawberry  brake,  they  sent  the  maid  after 
him  from  the  grange  that  she  might  find  out  how  it 


8  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

was  that  he  was  man  enough  to  keep  the  king's  hares 
so  well. 

So  he  took  out  the  pipe  and  showed  it  her,  and 
then  he  blew  into  one  end  and  made  them  fly  like  the 
wind  over  all  the  hills  and  dales  ;  and  then  he  blew  into 
the  other  end,  and  they  all  came  scampering  back  to 
the  brake,  and  all  stood  in  row  and  rank  again. 

"What  a  pretty  pipe,"  said  the  maid.  She  would 
willingly  give  a  hundred  dollars  for  it,  if  he  would  sell 
it,  she  said. 

"  Yes !  it  is  something  like  a  pipe,"  said  Osborn 
Boots ;  "  and  it  was  not  to  be  had  for  money  alone ; 
but  if  she  would  give  him  the  hundred  dollars,  and  a 
kiss  for  each  dollar,  she  should  have  it,"  he  said. 

Well !  why  not  ?  of  course  she  would  ;  she  would  will- 
ingly give  him  two  for  each  dollar,  and  thanks  besides. 

So  she  got  the  pipe ;  but  when  she  had  got  as  far 
as  the  king's  grange,  the  pipe  was  gone,  for  Osborn 
Boots  had  wished  for  it  back,  and  so,  when  it  drew 
towards  eventide,  home  he  came  with  his  hares  just 
like  any  other  flock  of  sheep;  and  for  all  the  king's 
counting  or  telling,  there  was  no  help, — not  a  hair  of 
the  hares  was  missing. 

The  third  day  that  he  kept  the  hares,  they  sent  the 
princess  on  her  way  to  try  and  get  the  pipe  from  him. 
She  made  herself  as  blithe  as  a  lark,  and  she  bade  him 
two  hundred  dollars  if  he  would  sell  her  the  pipe  and 
tell  her  how  she  was  to  behave  to  bring  it  safe  home 
with  her. 

"Yes!  yes!  it  is  something  like  a  pipe,"  said  Os- 
born Boots ;  "  and  it  was  not  for  sale,"  he  said,  "  but 
all  the  same,  he  would  do  it  for  her  sake,  if  she  would 


Osborns  Pipe 


give  him  two  hundred  dollars,  and  a  kiss  into  the  bar- 
gain for  each  dollar  ;  then  she  might  have  the  pipe. 
If  she  wished  to  keep  it,  she  must  look  sharp  after  it. 
That  was  her  look-out." 

"  This  is  a  very  high  price  for  a  hare-pipe,"  thought 
the  princess ;  and  she  made  mouths  at  giving  him  the 
kisses;  "but,  after  all,"  she  said,  "it's  far  away  in  the 
wood,  no  one  can  see  it  or  hear  it 
— it  can't  be  helped ;  for  I  must 
and  will  have  the  pipe." 

So  when  Osborn  Boots  had  got 
all  he  was  to  have,  she  got  the 
pipe,  and  off  she  went,  and  held 
it  fast  with  her  fingers  the  whole 
way;  but  when  she  came  to  the 
grange,  and  was  going  to  take  it 
out,  it  slipped  through  her  fingers 
and  was  gone  ! 

Next  day  the  queen  would  go 
herself  and  fetch  the  pipe  from 
him.  She  made  sure  she  would 
bring  the  pipe  back  with  her. 

Now  she  was  more  stingy  about  the  money,  and 
bade  no  more  than  fifty  dollars;  but  she  had  to  raise 
her  price  till  it  came  to  three  hundred.  Boots  said  it 
was  something  like  a  pipe,  and  it  was  no  price  at  all ; 
still  for  her  sake  it  might  go,  if  she  would  give  him 
three  hundred  dollars,  and  a  smacking  kiss  for  each 
dollar  into  the  bargain ;  then  she  might  have  it.  And 
he  got  the  kisses  well  paid,  for  on  that  part  of  the  bar- 
gain she  was  not  so  squeamish. 

So  when  she  had  got  the  pipe,  she  both  bound  it 


I  o  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

fast,  and  looked  after  it  well ;  but  she  was  not  a  hair 
better  off  than  the  others,  for  when  she  was  going  to 
pull  it  out  at  home,  the  pipe  was  gone ;  and  at  even 
down  came  Osborn  Boots,  driving  the  king's  hares 
home  for  all  the  world  like  a  flock  of  tame  sheep. 

"  It  is  all  stuff,"  said  the  king  ;  "  I  see  I  must  set 
off  myself,  if  we  are  to  get  this  wretched  pipe  from 
him ;  there's  no  other  help  for  it,  I  can  see."  And 
when  Osborn  Boots  had  got  well  into  the  woods  next 
day  with  the  hares,  the  king  stole  after  him,  and  found 
him  lying  on  the  same  sunny  hillside,  where  the  women 
had  tried  their  hands  on  him. 

Well !  they  were  good  friends  and  very  happy ; 
and  Osborn  Boots  showed  him  the  pipe,  and  blew 
first  on  one  end  and  then  on  the  other,  and  the  king 
thought  it  a  pretty  pipe,  and  wanted  at  last  to  buy  it, 
even  though  he  gave  a  thousand  dollars  for  it. 

"Yes!  it  is  something  like  a  pipe,"  said  Boots,  "and 
it's  not  to  be  had  for  money  ;  but  do  you  see  that  white 
horse  yonder  down  there  ?  "  and  he  pointed  away  into 
the  wood. 

"  See  it !  of  course  I  see  it ;  it's  my  own  horse 
Whitey,"  said  the  king.  No  one  had  need  to  tell  him 
that. 

"Well!  if  you  will  give  me  a  thousand  dollars,  and 
then  go  and  kiss  yon  white  horse  down  in  the  marsh 
there,  behind  the  big  fir-tree,  you  shall  have  my  pipe." 

"  Isn't  it  to  be  had  for  any  other  price  ?  "  asked  the 
king. 

"  No,  it  is  not,"  said  Osborn. 

"  Well !  but  I  may  put  my  silken  pocket-handker- 
chief between  us  ?  "  said  the  king. 


-*.      - '-  ^v 


1?   */' 


"  The  queen  would  go  herself  and  fetch  the  pipe." — Page  g.( 


Osborn  s  Pipe 


l3 


"  Very  good ;  he  might  have  leave  to  do  that."  And 
so  he  got  the  pipe,  and  put  it  into  his  purse.  And  the 
purse  he  put  into  his  pocket,  and  buttoned  it  up  tight  • 
and  so  off  he  strode  to  his  home.  But  when  he  reached 
the  grange,  and  was 
going  to  pull  out 
his  pipe,  he  fared 
no  better  than  the 
women  folk ;  he 
hadn't  the  pipe  any- 
more than  they,  and 
there  came  Osborn 
Boots  driving  home 
the  flock  of  hares, 
and  not  a  hair  was 
missing. 

The  king  was 
both  spiteful  and 
wroth,  to  think 
that  he  had  fooled 
them  all  round,  and 
cheated  him  out  of 
the   pipe   as  well; 

and  now  he  said  Boots  must  lose  his  life,  there  was  no 
question  of  it,  and  the  queen  said  the  same :  it  was 
best  to  put  such  a  rogue  out  of  the  way  red-handed. 

Osborn  thought  it  neither  fair  nor  right,  for  he 
had  done  nothing  but  what  they  told  him  to  do ;  and 
so  he  had  guarded  his  back  and  life  as  best  he  might. 

So  the  king  said  there  was  no  help  for  it ;  but  if 
he  could  lie  the  great  brewing-vat  so  full  of  lies  that 
it  ran  over,  then  he  might  keep  his  life. 


1 4  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

That  was  neither  a  long  nor  perilous  piece  of 
work  :  he  was  quite  game  to  do  that,  said  Osborn 
Boots.  So  he  began  to  tell  how  it  had  all  happened 
from  the  very  first.  He  told  about  the  old  wife  and 
her  nose  in  the  log,  and  then  he  went  on  to  say,  "  Well, 
but  I  must  lie  faster  if  the  vat  is  to  be  full."  So  he 
went  on  to  tell  of  the  pipe  and  how  he  got  it ;  and  of 
the  maid,  how  she  came  to  him  and  wanted  to  buy 
it  for  a  hundred  dollars,  and  of  all  the  kisses  she  had  to 
give  besides,  away  there  in  the  wood.  Then  he  told  of 
the  princess  how  she  came  and  kissed  him  so  sweetly 
for  the  pipe  when  no  one  could  see  or  hear  it  all 
away  there  in  the  wood.  Then  he  stopped  and  said, 
"  I  must  lie  faster  if  the  vat  is  ever  to  be  full."  So  he 
told  of  the  queen,  how  close  she  was  about  the  money 
and  how  overflowing  she  was  with  her  smacks.  "  You 
know  I  must  lie  hard  to  get  the  vat  full,"  said  Osborn. 

"  For  my  part,"  said  the  queen,  "  I  think  it's  pretty 
full  already." 

"No!  no!  it  isn't,"  said  the  king. 

So  he  fell  to  telling  how  the  king  came  to  him,  and 
about  the  white  horse  down  on  the  marsh,  and  how,  if 
the  king  was  to  have  the  pipe,  he  must — "Yes,  your 
majesty,  if  the  vat  is  ever  to  be  full  I  must  go  on  and 
lie  hard,"  said  Osborn  Boots. 

"  Hold  !  hold,  lad  !  It's  full  to  the  brim,"  roared  out 
the  king;  "  don't  you  see  how  it  is  foaming  over  ?  " 

So  both  the  king  and  the  queen  thought  it  best 
he  should  have  the  princess  to  wife  and  half  the  king- 
dom.    There  was  no  help  for  it. 

"That  was  something  like  a  pipe,"  said  Osborn 
Boots. 


The   Haunted   Mill 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  man  who  had  a  mill 
by  the  side  of  a  force,  and  in  the  mill  there 
was  a  brownie.  Whether  the  man,  as  is  the 
custom  in  most  places,  gave  the  brownie  porridge  and 
ale  at  Yule  to  bring  grist  to  the  mill,  I  can't  say,  but 
I  don't  think  he  did,  for  every  time  he  turned  the 
water  on  the  mill,  the  brownie 
took  hold  of  the  spindle  and 
stopped  the  mill,  so  that  he 
couldn't  grind  a  sack. 

The  man  knew  well  enough 
it  was  all  the  brownie's  work, 
and  at  last  one  evening,  when 
he  went  into  the  mill,  he  took 
a  pot  full  of  pitch  and  tar,  and 
lit  a  fire  under  it.  Well !  when 
he  turned  the  water  on  the 
wheel,  it  went  round  awhile, 
but  soon  after  it  made  a  dead 

stop.  So  he  turned,  and  twisted,  and  put  his  moulder 
to  the  top  of  the  wheel,  but  it  was  all  no  good.  By 
this  time  the  pot  of  pitch  was  boiling  hot,  and  then  he 
opened  the  trap-door  which  opened  on  to  the  ladder 

that  went  down  into  the  wheel,  and  if  he  didn't  see 

15 


1 6  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

the  brownie  standing  on  the  steps  of  the  ladder  with 
his  jaws  all  a-gape,  and  he  gaped  so  wide  that  his 
mouth  filled  up  the  whole  trap- door. 

"  Did  you  ever  see  such  a  wide  mouth  ? "  said  the 
brownie. 

But  the  man  was  handy  with  his  pitch.  He  caught 
up  the  pot  and  threw  it,  pitch  and  all,  into  the  gaping 
jaws. 

"  Did  you  ever  feel  such  hot  pitch  ?  " 

Then  the  brownie  let  the  wheel  go,  and  yelled  and 
howled  frightfully.  Since  then  he  has  been  never 
known  to  stop  the  wheel  in  that  mill,  and  there  they 
grind  in  peace. 


Another  Haunted  Mill 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  mill ;  this  mill  was 
not  in  these  parts,  it  was  somewhere  up  the 
country;  but  wherever  it  was,  north  of  the 
Fells  or  south  of  the  Fells,  it  was  not  canny.  No 
one  could  grind  a  grain  of  corn  in  it  for  weeks  to- 
gether, when  something  came  and  haunted  it.  But 
the  worst  was  that,  besides  haunting  it,  the  trolls, 
or  whatever  they  were,  took  to  burning  the  mill  down. 
Two  Whitsun-eves  running  it  had  caught  fire  and 
burned  to  the  ground. 

Well,  the  third  year,  as  Whitsuntide  was  drawing 
on,  the  man  had  a  tailor  in  his  house  hard  by  the  mill, 
who  was  making  Sunday-clothes  for  the  miller. 

"  I  wonder,  now,"  said  the  man  on  Whitsun-eve, 
"whether  the  mill  will  burn  down  this  Whitsuntide, 
too  ?  " 

"No,  it  shan't,"  said  the  tailor.  "Why  should  it? 
Give  me  the  keys :  I'll  watch  the  mill." 

Well,  the  man  thought  that  brave,  and  so,  as  the 
evening  drew  on,  he  gave  the  tailor  the  Keys,  and 
showed  him  into  the  mill.  It  was  empty,  you  know, 
for  it  was  just  new-built,  and  so  the  tailor  sat  down 
in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  and  took  out  his  chalk  and 
chalked  a  great  circle  round  about  him,  and  outside 

x7  B 


1 8  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

the  ring  all  round  he  wrote  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and 
when  he  had  done  that  he  wasn't  afraid — no,  not  if 
Old  Nick  himself  came. 

So  at  dead  of  night  the  door  flew  open  with  a 
bang,  and  there  came  in  such  a  swarm  of  black  cats 
you  couldn't  count  them  ;  they  were  as  thick  as  ants. 
They  were  not  long  before  they  had  put  a  big  pot 
on  the  fireplace  and  set  light  under  it,  and  the  pot 
began  to  boil  and  bubble,  and  as  for  the  broth,  it 
was  for  all  the  world  like  pitch  and  tar. 

"  Ha !  ha  !  "  thought  the  tailor,  "  that's  your  game, 
is  it !  " 

And  he  had  hardly  thought  this  before  one  of  the 
cats  thrust  her  paw  under  the  pot  and  tried  to  up- 
set it. 

"  Paws  off,  pussy,"  said  the  tailor,  "  you'll  burn 
your  whiskers." 

"  Hark  to  the  tailor,  who  says  '  Paws  off,  pussy,' 
to  me,"  said  the  cat  to  the  other  cats,  and  in  a  trice 
they  all  ran  away  from  the  fireplace,  and  began  to 
dance  and  jump  round  the  circle ;  and  then  all  at 
once  the  same  cat  stole  off  to  the  fireplace  and  tried 
to  upset  the  pot. 

"  Paws  off,  pussy,  you'll  burn  your  whiskers," 
bawled  out  the  tailor  again,  and  again  he  scared  them 
from  the  fireplace. 

"Hark  to  the  tailor,  who  says  'Paws  off,  pussy,'" 
said  the  cat  to  the  others,  and  again  they  all  began 
to  dance  and  jump  round  the  circle,  and  then  all  at 
once  they  wer#.  off  again  to  the  pot,  trying  to  upset  it. 

"Paws  off,  pussy,  you'll  burn  your  whiskers," 
screamed  out  the  tailor  the  third  time,  and  this  time 


Another  Haunted  Mill 


l9 


he  gave  them  such  a  fright  that  they  tumbled  head 
over  heels  on  the  floor,  and  began  dancing  and  jump- 
ing as  before. 

Then  they  closed  round  the  circle,  and  danced 
faster  and  faster:  so  fast  at  last  that  the  tailor's 
head  began  to  turn  round,  and  they  glared  at  him 
with  such  big  ugly  eyes,  as  though  *  they  would 
swallow  him  up  alive. 

Now  just    as    they  were   at   the  fastest,   the    same 


cat  which  had  tried  so  often  to  upset  the  pot,  stuck 
her  paw  inside  the  circle,  as  though  she  meant  to 
claw  the  tailor.  But  as  soon  as  the  tailor  saw  that, 
he  drew  his  knife  out  of  the  sheath  and  held  it  ready ; 
just  then  the  cat  thrust  her  paw  in  again  and  in  a 
trice  the  tailor  chopped  it  off,  and  then,  pop !  all  the 
cats  took  to  their  heels  as  fast  as  they  could,  with 
yells  and  caterwauls,  right  out  at  the  door. 

But  the  tailor  lay  down  inside  his  circle,  and  slept 
till  the   sun   shone   bright   in   upon   the   floor.     Then 


20  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

he  rose,  locked  the  mill,  and  went  away  to  the  miller's 
house. 

When  he  got  there,  both  the  miller  and  his  wife 
were  still  abed,  for  you  know  it  was  Whitsunday 
morning. 

"  Good  morning,"  said  the  tailor,  as  he  went  to  the 
bedside,  and  held  out  his  hand  to  the  miller. 

"  Good  morning,"  said  the  miller,  who  was  both 
glad  and  astonished  to  see  the  tailor  safe  and  sound, 
you  must  know. 

"  Good  morning,  mother ! "  said  the  tailor,  and  held 
out  his  hand  to  the  wife. 

"  Good  morning,"  said  she ;  but  she  looked  so  wan 
and  worried ;  and  as  for  her  hand,  she  hid  it  under 
the  quilt ;  but  at  last  she  stuck  out  the  left.  Then  the 
tailor  saw  plainly  how  things  stood,  but  what  he  said 
to  the  man  and  what  was  done  to  the  wife,  I  never 
heard. 


.'=MS 


The  Honest  Penny 


i  y 


NCE  on  a  time  there  was 
a  poor  woman  who  lived 
in   a  tumble-down  hut 
far  away  in  the  wood. 
Sji  '/;-\BL/    "*   '**   "j    iJkJ   Little  had  she   to  eat, 

*-  s^m.  j      IMI     aild  nothing   at    all    to 

U  s  SA^HS^V    »L'N^j^/        burn,  and   so  she  sent 
'     * "         -  a  little  boy  she  had  out 

into  the  wood  to  gather 
fuel.  He  ran  and  jumped,  and  jumped  and  ran,  to 
keep  himself  warm,  for  it  was  a  cold  grey  autumn 
day,  and  every  time  he  found  a  bough  or  a  root  for 
his  billet,  he  had  to  beat  his  arms  across  his  breast, 
for  his  fists  were  as  red  as  the  cranberries  over 
which  he  walked,  for  very  cold.  So  when  he  had  got 
his  billet  of  wood  and  was  off  home,  he   came  upon 


2  2  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

a  clearing  of  stumps  on  the  hillside,  and  there  he 
saw  a  white  crooked  stone. 

"Ah!  you  poor  old  stone,"  said  the  boy;  "how 
white  and  wan  you  are !  I'll  be  bound  you  are 
frozen  to  death  ;  "  and  with  that  he  took  off  his  jacket 
and  laid  it  on  the  stone.  So  when  he  got  home  with 
his  billet  of  wood  his  mother  asked  what  it  all  meant 
that  he  walked  about  in  wintry  weather  in  his  shirt- 
sleeves. Then  he  told  her  how  he  had  seen  an  old 
crooked  stone  which  was  all  whife  and  wan  for  frost, 
and  how  he  had  given  it  his  jacket. 

"What  a  fool  you  are  !"  said  his  mother;  "do  you 
think  a  stone  can  freeze  ?  But  even  if  it  froze  till  it 
shook  again,  know  this — every  one  is  nearest  to  his 
own  self.  It  costs  quite  enough  to  get  clothes  to  your 
back,  without  your  going  and  hanging  them  on  stones 
in  the  clearings ;  "  and  as  she  said  that,  she  hunted  the 
boy  out  of  the  house  to  fetch  his  jacket. 

So  when  he  came  where  the  stone  stood,  lo !  it 
had  turned  itself  and  lifted  itself  up  on  one  side  from 
the  ground.  "  Yes !  yes !  this  is  since  you  got  the 
jacket,  poor  old  thing,"  said  the  boy. 

But  when  he  looked  a  little  closer  at  the  stone, 
he  saw  a  money-box,  full  of  bright  silver,  under  it. 

"  This  is  stolen  money,  no  doubt,"  thought  the  boy; 
"no  one  puts  money,  come  by  honestly,  under  a  stone 
away  in  the  wood." 

So  he  took  the  money-box  and  bore  it  down  to  a  tarn 
hard  by  and  threw  the  whole  hoard  into  the  tarn ;  but 
one  silver  penny-piece  floated  on  the  top  of  the  water. 

"Ah!  ah!  that  is  honest,"  said  the  lad;  "for  what 
is  honest  never  sinks." 


The  Honest  Penny  23 

So  he  took  the  silver  penny  and  went  home  with 
it  and  his  jacket.  Then  he  told  his  mother  how  it  had 
all  happened,  how  the  stone  had  turned  itself,  and 
how  he  had  found  a  money-box  full  of  silver  money, 
which  he  had  thrown  out  into  the  tarn  because  it  was 
stolen  money,  and  how  one  silver  penny  floated  on 
the  top. 

"  That  I  took,"  said  the  boy,  "  because  it  was 
honest." 

"  You  are  a  born  fool,"  said  his  mother,  for  she  was 
very  angry;  "were  naught  else  honest  than  what  floats 
on  water,  there  wouldn't  be  much  honesty  in  the 
world.  And  even  though  the  money  were  stolen  ten 
times  over,  still  you  had  found  it ;  and  I  tell  you  again 
what  I  told  you  before,  every  one  is  nearest  to  his 
own  self.  Had  you  only  taken  that  money  we  might 
have  lived  well  and  happy  all  our  days.  But  a  ne'er- 
do-weel  thou  art,  and  a  ne'er-do-weel  thou  wilt  be, 
and  now  I  won't  drag  on  any  longer  toiling  and  moiling 
for  thee.  Be  off  with  thee  into  the  world  and  earn 
thine  own  bread." 

So  the  lad  had  to  go  out  into  the  wide  world, 
and  he  went  both  far  and  long  seeking  a  place.  But 
wherever  he  came,  folk  thought  him  too  little  and 
weak,  and  said  they  could  put  him  to  no  use.  At 
last  he  came  to  a  merchant,  and  there  he  got  leave 
to  be  in  the  kitchen  and  carry  in  wood  and  "/ater  for 
the  cook.  Well,  after  he  had  been  there  a  long  time, 
the  merchant  had  to  make  a  journey  into  foreign 
lands,  and  so  he  asked  all  his  servants  what  he 
should  buy  and  bring  home  for  each  of  them.  So, 
when   all  had  said  what   they   would  have,   the  turn 


24  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

came  to  the  scullion  too,  who  brought  in  wood  and 
water  for  the  cook.     Then  he  held  out  his  penny. 

"  Well,  what  shall  I  buy  with  this  ? "  asked  the 
merchant;  ''there  won't  be  much  time  lost  over  this 
bargain." 

"Buy  what  I  can  get  for  it.  It  is  honest,  that  I 
know,"  said  the  lad. 

That  his  master  gave  his  word  to  do,  and  so  he 
sailed  away. 

So  when  the  merchant  had  unladed  his  ship 
and  laded  her  again  in  foreign  lands,  and  bought 
what  he  had  promised  his  servants  to  buy,  he  came 
down  to  his  ship,  and  was  just  going  to  shove  off 
from  the  wharf.  Then  all  at  once  it  came  into  his 
head  that  the  scullion  had  sent  out  a  silver  penny 
with  him,  that  he  might  buy  something  for  him. 

"  Must  I  go  all  the  way  back  to  the  town  for  the 
sake  of  a  silver  penny  ?  One  would  then  have  small 
gain  in  taking  such  a  beggar  into  one's  house,"  thought 
the  merchant. 

Just  then  an  old  wife  came  walking  by  with  a  bag 
at  her  back. 

"  What  have  you  got  in  your  bag,  mother  ?  "  asked 
the  merchant. 

"  Oh !  nothing  else  than  a  cat.  I  can't  afford  to 
feed  it  any  longer,  so  I  thought  I  would  throw  it  into 
the  sea,  and  make  away  with  it,"  answered  the  woman. 

Then  the  merchant  said  to  himself,  "  Didn't  the  lad 
say  I  was  to  buy  what  I  could  get  for  his  penny  ?  " 
So  he  asked  the  old  wife  if  she  would  take  four 
farthings  for  her  cat.  Yes !  the  goody  was  not  slow 
to  say  "done,"  and  so  the  bargain  was  soon  struck. 


The  Honest  Penny  25 

Now  when  the  merchant  had  sailed  a  bit,  fearful 
weather  fell  on  him,  and  such  a  storm,  there  was 
nothing  for  it  but  to  drive  and  drive  till  he  did  not 
know  whither  he  was  going.  At  last  he  came  to  a 
land  on  which  he  had  never  set  foot  before,  and  so 
up  he  went  into  the  town. 

At  the  inn  where  he  turned  in,  the  board  was  laid 
with  a  rod  for  each  man  who  sat  at  it.  The  merchant 
thought  it  very  strange,  for  he  couldn't  at  all  make 
out  what  they  were  to  do  with  all  these  rods;  but 
he  sat  him  down,  and  thought  he  would  watch  well 
what  the  others  drd,  and  do  like  them.  Well !  as 
soon  as  the  meat  was  set  on  the  board,  he  saw  well 
enough  what  the  rods  meant;  for  out  swarmed  mice  in 
thousands,  and  each  one  who  sat  at  the  board  had 
to  take  to  his  rod  and  flog  and  flap  about  him,  and 
naught  else  could  be  heard  than  one  cut  of  the  rod 
harder  than  the  one  which  went  before  it.  Sometimes 
they  whipped  one  another  in  the  face,  and  just  gave 
themselves  time  to  say,  "  Beg  pardon,"  and  then  at  it 
again. 

"  Hard  work  to  dine  in  this  land ! "  said  the  mer- 
chant.    "  But  don't  folk  keep  cats  here  ?  " 

"  Cats  ?  "  they  all  asked,  for  they  did  not  know  what 
cats  were. 

So  the  merchant  sent  and  fetched  the  cat  he  had 
bought  for  the  scullion,  and  as  soon  as  the  cat  Oot  on  the 
table,  off  ran  the  mice  to  their  holes,  and  folks  had  never 
in  the  memory  of  man  had  such  rest  at  their  meat. 

Then  they  begged  and  prayed  the  merchant  to  sell 
them  the  cat,  and  at  last,  after  a  long,  long  time,  he 
promised  to  let  them  have  it ;    but  he  would  have  a 


26 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


hundred   dollars  for  it ;   and  thajt  sum  they  gave  and 
thanks  besides. 

So  the  merchant  sailed  off  again ;  but  he  had  scarce 
got  good  sea-room  before  he  saw  the  cat  sitting  up  at 
the  mainmast  head,  and  all  at  once  again  came  foul 
weather  and  a  storm  worse  than  the  first,  and  he 
drove  and  drove  till  he  got  to  a  country  where  he  had 
never  been  before.  The  merchant  went  up  to  an  inn, 
and  here,  too,  the  board  was  spread 
with  rods ;  but  they  were  much  bigger 
and  longer  than  the  first.  And,  to 
tell  the  truth,  they  had  need  to  be  ; 
for  here  the  mice  were  many 
more,  and  every  mouse  was 
twice  as  big  as  those  he 
had  before  seen. 

So  he  sold  the  cat 
again,  and  this  time 
he  got  two  hundred  dol- 
lars for  it,  and  that  without 
ding, 
when  he  had  sailed  away  from 
that  land  and  got  a  bit  out  at  sea, 
there  sat  Grimalkin  again  at  the  masthead;  and  the 
bad  weather  began  at  once  again,  and  the  end  of  it 
was,  he  was  again  driven  to  a  land  where  he  had 
never  been  before. 

He  went  ashore,  up  to  the  town,  and  turned  into  an 
inn.  There,  too,  the  board  was  laid  with  rods,  but 
every  rod  was  an  ell  and  a  half  long,  and  as  thick  as  a 
small  broom ;  and  the  folk  said  that  to  sit  at  meat  was 
the  hardest  trial  they  had,  for  there  were  thousands  of 


The  Honest  Penny  27 

big  ugly  rats,  so  that  it  was  only  with  sore  toil  and 
trouble  one  could  get  a  morsel  into  one's  mouth,  'twas 
such  hard  work  to  keep  off  the  rats.  So  the  cat  had  to 
be  fetched  up  from  the  ship  once  more,  and  then  folks 
got  their  food  in  peace.  Then  they  all  begged  and 
prayed  the  merchant,  for  heaven's  sake,  to  sell  them 
his  cat.  For  a  long  time  he  said  "  No ;  "  but  at  last  he 
gave  his  word  to  take  three  hundred  dollars  for  it. 
That  sum  they  paid  down  at  once,  and  thanked  him 
and  blessed  him  for  it  into  the  bargain. 

Now,  when  the  merchant  got  out  to  sea,  he  fell  a- 
thinking  how  much  the  lad  had  made  out  of  the  penny 
he  had  sent  out  with  him. 

"  Yes,  yes,  some  of  the  money  he  shall  have,"  said 
the  merchant  to  himself,  "  but  not  all.  Me  it  is  that 
he  has  to  thank  for  the  cat  I  bought;  and  besides, 
every  man  is  nearest  to  his  own  self." 

But  as  soon  as  ever  the  merchant  thought  this,  such 
a  storm  and  gale  arose  that  every  one  thought  the  ship 
must  founder.  So  the  merchant  saw  there  was  no 
help  for  it,  and  he  had  to  vow  that  the  lad  should  have 
every  penny ;  and  no  sooner  had  he  vowed  this  vow, 
than  the  weather  turned  good,  and  he  got  a  snoring 
breeze  fair  for  home. 

So,  when  he  got  to  land,  he  gave  the  lad  the  six  hun- 
dred dollars,  and  his  daughter  besides ;  for  now  the 
little  scullion  was  just  as  rich  as  his  master,  the  mer- 
chant, and  even  richer;  and,  after  that,  the  lad  lived 
all  his  days  in  mirth  and  jollity ;  and  he  sent  for  his 
mother,  and  treated  her  as  well  as  or  better  than  he 
treated  himself;  "  for,"  said  the  lad,  "  I  don't  think  that 
every  one  is  nearest  to  his  own  self." 


The   Death  of  Chanticleer 


NCE  on  a  time  there  was 
a  Cock  and  a  Hen,  who 
walked  out  into  the  field, 
1^  and  scratched,  and  scraped, 
and  scrabbled.  All  at  once 
Chanticleer  found  a  burr  of 
hop,  and  Partlet  found  a 
barleycorn ;  and  they  said 
they  would  make  malt  and 
brew  Yule  ale. 

"Oh!     I    pluck     barley, 

and  I  malt  malt,  and  I  brew 

ale,  and  the  ale  is  good," 

cackled  dame  Partlet. 

"Is  the  wort   strong  enough?"   crew  Chanticleer, 

and  as  he  crowed  he  flew  up  on  the  edge  of  the  cask, 

and  tried  to  have  a  taste;  but, just  as  he  bent  over 

to  drink  a  drop,  he  took  to  flapping  his  wings,  and  so 

he  fell  head  over  heels  into  the  cask,  and  was  drowned. 

When  dame   Partlet   saw  that,  she  clean   lost  her 

wits,  and  flew  up  into  the  chimney-corner,  and  fell 

a-screaming  and  screeching  out.     "  Harm  in  the  house ! 

harm  in  the  house  !  "  she  screeched  out  all  in  a  breath, 

and  there  was  no  stopping  her. 

23 


The  Death  of  Chanticleer 


29 


"What  ails  you,  dame  Partlet,  that  you  sit  there 
sobbing  and  sighing?"  said  the  Handquern. 

"Why  not,"  said  dame  Partlet,  "when  goodman 
Chanticleer  has  fallen  into  the  cask  and  drowned  him- 
self, and  lies  dead  ?     That's  why  I  sigh  and  sob." 

"Well,  if  I  can  do  naught  else,  I  will  grind  and 
groan,"  said  the  Handquern ;  and  so  it  fell  to  grinding 
as  fast  as  it  could. 

When  the  Chair  heard  that,  it  said — 


"What  ails  you,  Handquern,  that  you  griad  and 
groan  so  fast  and  oft  ?  " 

"Why  not,  when  goodman  Chanticleer  has  fallen 
into  the  cask  and  drowned  himself;  and  dame  Partlet 
sits  in  the  ingle  and  sighs  and  sobs?  That '1  why  I 
grind  and  groan,"  said  the  Handquern. 

"  If  I  can  do  naught  else  I  will  crack,"  said  the 
Chair;  and  with  that  he  fell  to  creaking  and  cracking. 

When  the  Door  heard  that,  it  said — 

"  What's  the  matter  ?  Why  do  you  creak  and 
crack  so,  Mr.  Chair  ?  " 

"  Why  not?"  said  the  Chair  ;  "  goodman  Chanticleer 


30  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

has  fallen  into  the  cask  and  drowned  himself;  dame 
Partlet  sits  in  the  ingle  sighing  and  sobbing ;  and  the 
Handquern  grinds  and  groans.  That's  why  I  creak 
and  crackle,  and  croak  and  crack." 

"  Well,"  said  the  Door,  "  if  I  can  do  naught  else,  I 
can  rattle  and  bang,  and  whistle  and  slam ; "  and  with 
that  it  began  to  open  and  shut,  and  bang  and  slam, 
it  deaved  one  to  hear,  and  all  one's  teeth  chattered. 

All  this  the  Stove  heard,  and  it  opened  its  mouth 
and  called  out — 

"  Door  !  Door !  why  all  this  slamming  and  banging  ?  " 

"Why  not,"  said  the  Door,  "when  goodman  Chanti- 
cleer has  fallen  into  the  cask  and  drowned  himself; 
dame  Partlet  sits  in  the  ingle  sighing  and  sobbing; 
the  Handquern  grinds  and  groans ;  and  the  Chair 
creaks  and  cracks.     That's  why  I  bang  and  slam." 

"Well,"  said  the  Stove,  "if  I  can  do  naught  else, 
I  can  smoulder  and  smoke  ;  "  and  so  it  fell  a-smoking 
and  steaming  till  the  room  was  all  in  a  cloud. 

The  Axe  saw  this  as  it  stood  outside,  and  peeped 
with  its  shaft  through  the  window. 

"What's  all  this  smoke  about,  Mrs.  Stove?"  said 
the  Axe  in  a  sharp  voice. 

"Why  not,"  said  the  Stove,  "when  goodman 
Chanticleer  has  fallen  into  the  cask  and  drowned 
himself;  dame  Partlet  sits  in  the  ingle  sighing  and 
sobbing ;  the  Handquern  grinds  and  groans ;  the  Chair 
creaks  and  cracks;  and  the  Door  bangs  and  slams. 
That's  why  I  smoke  and  steam." 

"Well,  if  I  can  do  naught  else,  I  can  rive  and  rend," 
said  the  Axe;  and  with  that  it  fell  to  riving  and 
rending  all  around  about. 


The  Death  of   Chanticleer  31 

This  the  Aspen  stood  by  and  saw. 

"  Why  do  you  rive  and  rend  everything  so,  Mr. 
Axe  ?  "  said  the  Aspen. 

"  Goodman  Chanticleer  has  fallen  into  the  ale-cask 
and  drowned  himself,"  said  the  Axe;  "dame  Partlet 
sits  in  the  ingle  sighing  and  sobbing ;  the  Handquern 
grinds  and  groans ;  the  Chair  creaks  and  cracks;  the 
Door  slams  and  bangs ;  and  the  Stove  smokes  and 
steams.     That's  why  I  rive  and  rend  all  about." 

"Well,  if  I  can  do  naught  else,"  said  the  Aspen, 
"  I  can  quiver  and  quake  in  all  my  leaves  ;  "  so  it  grew 
all  of  a  quake. 

The  Birds  saw  this,  and  twittered  out— 

"  Why  do  you  quiver  and  quake,  Miss  Aspen  ?  " 

'■  Goodman  Chanticleer  has  fallen  into  the  ale-cask 
and  drowned  himself,"  said  the  Aspen,  with  a  trembling 
voice ;  "  dame  Partlet  sits  in  the  ingle  sighing  and 
sobbing;  the  Handquern  grinds  and  groans;  the 
Chair  creaks  and  cracks ;  the  Door  slams  and  bangs  , 
the  Stove  steams  and  smokes ;  and  the  Axe  rives  and 
rends.     That's  why  I  quiver  and  quake." 

"Well,  if  we  can  do  naught  else,  we  will  pluck 
off  all  our  feathers,"  said  the  Birds ;  and  with  that 
they  fell  a-pilling  and  plucking  themselves  till  the 
room  was  full  of  feathers. 

This  the  Master  stood  by  and  saw,  and,  when  the 
feathers  flew  about  like  fun,  he  asked  the  Birds — 

"  Why  do  you  pluck  off  all  your  feathers,  you 
Birds  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  goodman  Chanticleer  has  fallen  into  the  ale- 
cask  and  drowned  himself,"  twittered  out  the  Birds; 
"  dame  Partlet  sits  sighing  and  sobbing  in  the  ingle* 


3  2  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

the  Handquern  grinds  and  groans;  the  Chair  creaks 
and  cracks;  the  Door  slams  and  bangs;  the  Stove 
smokes  and  steams;  the  Axe  rives  and  rends;  and 
the  Aspen  quivers  and  quakes.  That's  why  we  are 
pilling  and  plucking  all  our  feathers  off." 

"Well,  if  I  can  do  nothing  else,  I  can  tear  the 
brooms  asunder,"  said  the  man  ;  and  with  that  he  fell 
tearing  and  tossing  the  brooms  till  the  birch-twigs 
flew  about  east  and  west. 

The  goody  stood  cooking  porridge  for  supper,  and 
saw  all  this. 

"Why,  man!"  she  called  out,  "what  are  you  tear- 
ing the  brooms  to  bits  for  ? " 

"Oh!"  said  the  man,  "goodman  Chanticleer  has 
fallen  into  the  ale-vat  and  drowned  himself;  dame 
Partlet  sits  sighing  and  sobbing  in  the  ingle;  the 
Handquern  grinds  and  groans;  the  Chair  cracks  and 
creaks ;  the  Door  slams  and  bangs ;  the  Stove  smokes 
and  steams ;  the  Axe  rives  and  rends ;  the  Aspen 
quivers  and  quakes ;  the  Birds  are  pilling  and  pluck- 
ing all  their  feathers  off;  and  that's  why  I  am  tearing 
the  besoms  to  bits." 

"So,  so!"  said  the  goody;  "then  I'll  dash  the 
porridge  over  all  the  walls,"  and  she  did  it ;  for  she 
took  one  spoonful  after  the  other,  and  dashed  it 
against  the  walls,  so  that  no  one  could  see  what 
they  were  made  of  for  very  porridge. 

That  was  how  they  drank  the  burial  ale  after 
goodman  Chanticleer,  who  fell  into  the  brewing-vat 
and  was  drowned ;  and,  if  you  don't  believe  it,  you 
may  set  off  thither  and  have  a  taste  both  of  the  ale 
and  the  porridge. 


The  Greedy  Cat 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  man  who  had  a 
cat,  and  she  was  so  awfully  big,  and  such  a 
beast  to  eat,  he  couldn't  keep  her  any  longer. 
So  she  was  to  go  down  to  the  river  with  a  stone 
round  her  neck,  but  before  she  started  she  was  to 
have  a  meal  of  meat.  So  the  goody  set  before  her 
a  bowl  of  porridge  and  a  little  trough  of  fat.  That 
she  crammed  into  her,  and  ran  off  and  jumped  through 
the  window.  Outside  stood  the  goodman  by  the  barn 
door  threshing. 

"  Good  day,  goodman,"  said  the  cat. 

33  C 


34  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"Good  day,  pussy,"  said  the  goodman ;  "have  you 
had  any  food  to-day  ?  " 

"Oh,  I've  had  a  little,  but  I'm  'most  fasting, '  said 
the  cat ;  "it  was  only  a  bowl  of  porridge  and  a  trough 
of  fat — and,  now  I  think  of  it,  I'll  take  you  too,"  and 
so  she  took  the  goodman  and  gobbled  him  up. 

When  she  had  done  that,  she  went  into  the  byre, 
and  there  sat  the  goody  milking. 

"  Good  day,  goody,"  said  the  cat. 

"Good  day,  pussy,"  said  the  goody;  "are  you  here, 
and  have  you  eaten  up  your  food  yet  ?  " 

"Oh,  I've  eaten  a  little  to-day,  but  I'm  'iiiost  fast- 
ing," said  pussy  ;  "  it  was  only  a  bowl  of  porridge, 
and  a  trough  of  fat,  and  the  goodman — and,  now  I 
think  of  it,  I'll  take  you  too,"  and  so  she  took  the 
goody  and  gobbled  her  up. 

"Good  day,  you  cow  at  the  manger,"  said  the  cat 
to  Daisy  the  cow. 

"  Good  day,  pussy,"  said  the  bell-cow ;  "  have  you 
had  any  food  to-day  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I've  had  a  little,  but  I'm  'most  fasting,"  said 
the  cat ;  "  I've  only  had  a  bowl  of  porridge,  and  a 
trough  of  fat,  and  the  goodman,  and  the  goody — and, 
now  I  think  of  it,  I'll  take  you  too,"  and  so  she  took 
the  cow  and  gobbled  her  up. 

Then  off  she  set  up  into  the  home-field,  and  there 
stood  a  man  picking  up  leaves. 

"Good  day,  you  leaf-picker  in  the  field,"  said  the 
cat. 

"  Good  day,  pussy ;  have  you  had  anything  to  eat 
to-day  ?  "  said  the  leaf-picker. 

"  Oh.  I've  had  a  little,  but  I'm  'most  fasting,"  said 


The  Greedy   Cat 


35 


the  cat ;  "  it  was  only  a  bowl  of  porridge,  and  a  trough 
of  fat,  and  the  goodman,  and  the  goody,  and  Daisy  the 
cow — and,  now  I  think  of  it,  I'll  take  you  too."  So 
she  took  the  leaf-picker  and  gobbled  him  up. 

Then  she  came  to  a  heap  of  stones,  and  there 
stood  a  stoat  and  peeped  out. 

"Good  day,  Mr.  Stoat  of  Stoneheap,"  said  the  cat. 

"Good  day,  Mrs.  Pussy;  have  you  had  anything 
to  eat  to-day  ?  " 

"Oh,  I've  had  a  little,  but  I'm  'most  fasting,"  said 
the  cat ;  "  it  was  only  a  bowl  of 
porridge,  and  a  trough  of  fat, 
and  the  goodman,  and  the  goody, 
and  the  cow,  and  the  leaf-picker 
— and,  now  I  think  of  it,  I'll 
take  you  too."  So  she  took  the 
stoat  and  gobbled  him  up. 

When  she  had  gone  a  bit 
farther,  she  came  to  a  hazel- 
brake,  and  there  sat  a  squirrel 
gathering  nuts. 

"  Good  day,  Sir  Squirrel  of 
the  Brake,"  said  the  cat. 

"Good  day,  Mrs.  Pussy;  have  you  had  anything 
to  eat  to-day  ?  " 

"Oh,  I've  had  a  little,  but  I'm  'most  fasting,"  said 
the  cat;  "it  was  only  a  bowl  of  porridge,  and  a 
trough  of  fat,  and  the  goodman,  and  the  goody,  and 
the  cow,  and  the  leaf-picker,  and  the  stoat — and,  now 
I  think  of  it,  I'll  take  you  too."  So  she  took  the 
squirrel  and  gobbled  him  up. 

When  she  had  gone  a  little  farther,  she  saw  Reynard 


36  Tales  from  the  Fj eld 

the    Fox,    who   was    prowling   about    by   the   wood- 
side. 

"  Good  day,  Reynard  Slyboots,"  said  the  cat. 

"Good  day,  Mrs.  Pussy;  have  you  had  anything 
to  eat  to-day  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I've  had  a  little,  but  I'm  'most  fasting,"  said 
the  cat ;  "  it  was  only  a  bowl  of  porridge,  and  a 
trough  of  fat,  and  the  goodman,  and  the  goody,  and 
the  cow,  and  the  leaf-picker,  and  the  stoat,  and  the 
squirrel — and,  now  I  think  of  it,  I'll  take  you  too." 
So  she  took  Reynard  and  gobbled  him  up. 

When  she  had  gone  a  while  farther  she  met  Long 
Ears  the  Hare. 

"  Good  day,  Mr.  Hopper  the  Hare,"  said  the  cat. 
Good  day,  Mrs.    Pussy ;  have  you   had  anything 
to  eat  to-day  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I've  had  a  little,  but  I'm  'most  fasting,"  said 
the  cat ;  "  it  was  only  a  bowl  of  porridge,  and  a  trough 
of  fat,  and  the  goodman,  and  the  goody,  and  the  cow, 
and  the  leaf-picker,  and  the  stoat,  and  the  squirrel, 
and  the  fox — and,  now  I  think  of  it,  I'll  take  you  too." 
So  she  took  the  hare  and  gobbled  him  up. 

When  she  had  gone  a  bit  farther  she  met  a  wolf. 

"Good  day,  you  Greedy  Greylegs,"  said  the 
cat. 

"  Good  day,  Mrs.  Pussy ;  have  you  had  anything 
to  eat  to-day  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I've  had  a  little,  but  I'm  'most  fasting,"  said 
the  cat;  "  it  was  only  a  bowl  of  porridge,  and  a  trough 
of  fat,  and  the  goodman,  and  the  goody,  and  the  cow, 
and  the  leaf-picker,  and  the  stoat,  and  the  squirrel, 
and  the  fox  and  the  hare — and,  now  I  think  of  it,  I 


The  Greedy  Cat  37 

\ 
may  as  well  take  you  too."     So  she  took  and  gobbled 

up  Greylegs  too. 

So  she  went  on  into  the  wood,  and  when  she  had 
gone  far  and  farther  than  far,  o'er  hill  and  dale,  she 
met  a  bear-cub. 

"  Good  day,  you  bare-breeched  bear,"  said  the  cat. 

"Good  day,  Mrs.  Pussy,"  said  the  bear-cub;  "have 
you  had  anything  to  eat  to-day  ?  " 

"Oh,  I've  had  a  little,  but  I'm  'most  fasting,"  said 
the  cat ;  "  it  was  only  a  bowl  of  porridge,  and  a  trough 
of  fat,  and  the  goodman,  and  the  goody,  and  the  cow, 
and  the  leaf-picker,  and  the  stoat,  and  the  squirrel,  and 
the  fox,  and  the  hare,  and  the  wolf — and,  now  I  think 
of  it,  I  may  as  well  take  you  too,"  and  so  she  took  the 
bear-cub  and  gobbled  him  up. 

When  the  cat  had  gone  a  bit  farther,  she  met  a 
she-bear,  who  was  tearing  away  at  a  stump  till  the 
splinters  flew,  so  angry  was  she  at  having  lost  her  cub, 

"Good  day,  you  Mrs.  Bruin,"  said  the  cat. 

"  Good  day,  Mrs.  Pussy ;  have  you  had  anything  to 
eat  to-day  ?  " 

"Oh,  I've  had  a  little,  but  I'm  'most  fasting,"  said 
the  cat ;  "  it  was  only  a  bowl  of  porridge,  and  a 
trough  of  fat,  and  the  goodman,  and  the  goody, 
and  the  cow,  and  the  leaf-picker,  and  the  stoat,  and 
the  squirrel,  and  the  fox,  and  the  hare,  and  the  wolf, 
and  the  bear-cub — and,  now  I  think  of  it,  I'll  take 
you  too,"  and  so  she  took  Mrs.  Bruin  and  gobbled 
her  up  too. 

When  the  cat  got  still  farther  on,  she  met  Baron 
Bruin  himself. 

"  Good  day.,  you  Baron  Bruin,"  said  the  cat. 


3  8  Tales  from  the  Tjeld 

"Good  day,  Mrs.  Pussy,"  said  Bruin;  "have  you 
had  anything  to  eat  to-day  ?  " 

"Oh,  I've  had  a  little,  but  I'm  'most  fasting,"  said 
the  cat ;  "  it  was  only  a  bowl  of  porridge,  and  a  trough 
of  fat,  and  the  goodman,  and  the  goody,  and  the  cow, 
and  the  leaf-picker,  and  the  stoat,  and  the  squirrel,  and 
the  fox,  and  the  hare,  and  the  wolf,  and  the  bear-cub, 
and  the  she-bear — and,  now  I  think  of  it,  I'll  take  you 
too,"  and  so  she  took  Bruin  and  ate  him  up  too. 

So  the  cat  went  on  and  on,  and  farther  than  far,  till 
she  came  to  the  abodes  of  men  again,  and  there  she 
met  a  bridal  train  on  the  road. 

"  Good  day,  you  bridal  train  on  the  king's  high- 
way," said  she. 

"Good  day,  Mrs.  Pussy;  have  you  had  anything 
to  eat  to-day  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I've  had  a  little,  but  I'm  'most  fasting,"  said 
the  cat ;  "  it  was  only  a  bowl  of  porridge,  and  a  trough 
of  fat,  and  the  goodman,  and  the  goody,  and  the  cow, 
and  the  leaf-picker,  and  the  stoat,  and  the  squirrel,  and 
the  fox,  and  the  hare,  and  the  wolf,  and  the  bear-cub, 
and  the  she-bear,  and  the  he-bear — and,  now  I  think 
of  it,  I'll  take  you  too,"  and  so  she  rushed  at  them,  and 
gobbled  up  both  the  bride  and  bridegroom,  and  the 
whole  train,  with  the  cook  and  the  fiddler,  and  the 
horses  and  all. 

When  she  had  gone  still  farther,  she  came  to  a 
church,  and  there  she  met  a  funeral. 

"Good  day,  you  funeral  train,"  said  she. 

"Good  day,  Mrs.  Pussy;  have  you  had  anything  to 
eat  to-day  ? " 

"Oh,  I've  had  a  little,  but  I'm  'most  fasting,"  said 


The  Greedy  Cat  39 

the  cat ;  "  it  was  only  a  bowl  of  porridge,  and  a  trough 
of  fat,  and  the  goodman,  and  the  goody,  and  the  cow, 
and  the  leaf-picker,  and  the  stoat,  and  the  squirrel,  and 
the  fox,  and  the  hare,  and  the  wolt,  and  the  bear-cub, 
and  the  she-bear,  and  the  he-bear,  and  the  bride  and 
bridegroom,  and  the  whole  train — and,  now,  I  don't 
mind  if  I  take  you  too,"  and  so  she  fell  on  the  funeral 
train  and  gobbled  up  both  the  body  and  the  bearers. 

Now  when  the  cat  had  got  the  body  in  her,  she  was 
taken  up  to  the  sky,  and  when  she  had  gone  a  long, 
long  way,  she  met  the  moon. 

"  Good  day,  Mrs.  Moon,"  said  the  cat. 

"Good  day,  Mrs.  Pussy;  have  you  had  anything  to 
eat  to-day  ?  " 

"Oh,  I've  had  a  little,  but  I'm  'most  fasting,"  said 
the  cat ;  "  it  was  only  a  bowl  of  porridge,  and  a  trough 
of  fat,  and  the  goodman,  and  the  goody,  and  the  cow, 
and  the  leaf-picker,  and  the  stoat,  and  the  squirrel,  and 
the  fox,  and  the  hare,  and  the  wolf,  and  the  bear-cub, 
and  the  she-bear,  and  the  he-bear,  and  the  bride  and 
bridegroom,  and  the  whole  train,  and  the  funeral  train — 
and,  now  I  think  of  it,  I  don't  mind  if  I  take  you  too," 
and  so  she  seized  hold  of  the  moon,  and  gobbled  her 
up,  both  new  and  full. 

So  the  cat  went  a  long  way  still,  and  then  she  met 
the  sun. 

"  Good  day,  you  Sun  in  heaven." 

"Good-day,  Mrs.  Pussy,"  said  the  sun;  "have  you 
had  anything  to  eat  to-day  ?  " 

"Oh,  I've  had  a  little,  but  I'm  'most  fasting,"  said 
the  cat ;  "it  was  only  a  bowl  of  porridge,  and  a  trough 
of  fat,  and  the  goodman,  and  the  goody,  and  the  cow, 


40 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


and  the  leaf-picker,  and  the  stoat,  and  the  squirrel,  and 
the  fox,  and  the  hare,  and  the  wolf,  and  the  bear-cub, 
and  the  she-bear,  and  the  he-bear,  and  the  bride  and 
bridegroom,  and  the  whole  train,  and  the  funeral  train, 
and  the  moon — and,  now  I  think  of  it,  I  don't  mind  if  I 
take  you  too,"  and  so  she  rushed  at  the  sun  in  heaven 
and  gobbled  him  up. 


So  the  cat  went  far  and  farther  than  far,  till  she  came 
to  a  bridge,  and  on  it  she  met  a  big  billy-goat. 

"Good  day,  you  Billy-goat  on  Broad-bridge,"  said 
the  cat. 

"  Good-day,  Mrs.  Pussy;  have  you  had  anything  to 
eat  to-day  ?  "  said  the  billy-goat. 

"  Oh,  I've  had  a  little,  but  I'm  'most  fasting ;  I've  only 
had  a  bowl  of  porridge,  and  a  trough  of  fat,  and  the 
goodman,  and  the  goody  in  the  byre,  and  Daisy  the 
cow  at  the  manger,  and  the  leaf-picker  in  the  home- 


The   Greedy   Cat  41 

field,  and  Mr.  Stoat  of  Stoneheap,  and  Sir  Squirrel  of 
the  Brake,  and  Reynard  Slyboots,  and  Mr.  Hopper 
the  hare,  and  Greedy  Greylegs  the  wolf,  and  Bare- 
breech  the  bear-cub,  and  Mrs.  Bruin,  and  Baron  Bruin, 
and  a  bridal  train  on  the  king's  highway,  and  a  funeral 
at  the  church,  and  Lady  Moon  in  the  sky,  and  Lord, 
Sun  in  heaven — and,  now  I  think  of  it,  I'll  take  you 
too." 

"That  we'll  fight  about,"  said  the  billy-goat,  and 
butted  at  the  cat  till  she  fell  right  over  the  bridge  into 
the  river,  and  there  she  burst. 

So  they  all  crept  out  one  after  the  other,  and  went 
about  their  business,  and  were  just  as  good  as  ever, 
all  that  the  cat  had  gobbled  up.  The  goodman  of 
the  house,  and  the  goody  in  the  byre,  and  Daisy  the 
cow  at  the  manger,  and  the  leaf-picker  in  the  home- 
field,  and  Mr.  Stoat  of  Stoneheap,  and  Sir  Squirrel 
of  the  Brake,  and  Reynard  Slyboots,  and  Mr.  Hopper 
the  hare,  and  Greedy  Greylegs  the  wolf,  and  Bare- 
breech  the  bear-cub,  and  Mrs.  Bruin,  and  Baron  Bruin, 
and  the  bridal  train  on  the  highway,  and  the  funeral 
train  at  the  church,  and  Lady  Moon  in  the  sky,  and 
Lord  Sun  in  heaven. 


Grumblegizzard 


ONCE  on   a  time   there  were  five   goodies,  who 
were  all  reaping  in  a  field ;  they  were  all  child- 
less, and  all  wished   to  have  a  bairn.     All  at 
once    they   set   eyes    on    a    strangely    big   goose-egg, 
almost  as  big  as  a  man's  head. 
"  I  saw  it  first,"  said  one. 

"  I  saw  it  just  as  soon  as  you,"  screamed  another. 
"Heaven  help  me,  but  I  will  have  it,"  swore  the 
third ;  "  I  was  the  first  to  see  it." 

So  they  flocked  round  it  and  squabbled  so  much 
about  the  egg  that  they  were  tearing  one  another's 
hair.  But  at  last  they  agreed  that  they  would  own 
it  in  common,  all  five  of  them,  and  each  was  to  sit  on 


Grumblegizzara 


43 


it  in  turn  like  a  goose,  and  so  hatch  the  gosling.  The 
first  lay  sitting  eight  days,  and  sat  and  sat,  but  nothing 
came  of  it ;  meanwhile  the  others  had  to  drag  about 
to  find  food  both  for  themselves  and  her.  At  last 
one  of  them  began  to  scold  her. 

"Well,"  said  the  one  that  sat,  "you  did  not  chip 
the  egg  yourself  before  you  could  cry,  not  you;  but 
this  egg,  I  think,  has  something  in  it,  for  it  seems 
to  me  to  mumble,  and  this  is  what  it  says,  '  Herrings 


and  brose,  porridge  and  milk,  all  at  once.'  And  now 
you  may  come  and  sit  for  eight  days  too,  and  we  will 
change  and  change  about  and  get  food  for  you." 

So  when  all  five  had  sat  on  it  eight  days,  the  fifth 
heard  plainly  that  there  was  a  gosling  in  the  egg, 
which  screeched  out,  "  Herrings  and  brose,  porridge 
and  milk."  So  she  picked  a  hole  in  it,  but  instead 
of  a  gosling  out  came  a  man  child,  and  awfully  ugly 
it  was,  with  a  big  head  and  little   body.     And  the 


44  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

first  thing  it  bawled  out  when  it  chipped  the  egg  was, 
"  Herrings  and  brose,  porridge  and  milk." 

So  they  called  it  "  Grumblegizzard." 

Ugly  as  it  was,  they  were  still  glad  to  have  it,  at 
first ;  but  it  was  not  long  before  it  got  so  greedy  that 
it  ate  up  all  the  meat  in  their  house.  When  they 
boiled  a  kettle  of  soup  or  a  pot  of  porridge,  which  they 
thought  would  be  enough  for  all  six,  it  tossed  it  all 
down  its  own  throat.  So  they  would  not  keep  it  any 
longer. 

"  I've  not  known  what  it  is  to  have  a  full  meal  since 
this  changeling  crept  out  of  the  egg-shell,"  said  one 
of  them,  and  when  Grumblegizzard  heard  all  the  rest 
were  of  the  same  mind,  he  said  he  was  quite  willing 
to  be  off.  If  they  did  not  care  for  him,  he  didn't  care 
for  them ;  and  with  that  he  strode  off  from  the  farm. 

After  a  long  time  he  came  to  a  farmer's  house, 
which  lay  in  a  stone  country,  and  there  he  asked  for 
a  place.  Well,  they  wanted  a  labourer,  and  the  good- 
man  set  him  to  pick  up  stones  off  the  field.  Yes ! 
Grumblegizzard  gathered  the  stones  from  the  field, 
and  he  took  them  so  big  that  there  were  many  horse- 
loads  in  them,  and  whether  they  were  big  or  little, 
he  stuffed  them  all  into  his  pocket.  'Twas  not  long 
before  he  was  done  with  that  work,  and  then  he 
wanted  to  know  what  he  was  to  do  next. 

"  I've  told  you  to  pluck  out  the  stones  from  the 
field,"  said  the  goodman;  "you  can't  be  done  before 
you  begin,  I  trow." 

But  Grumblegizzard  turned  out  his  pockets  and 
threw  the  stones  in  a  heap.  Then  the  goodman  saw 
that  he  had  done  his  work,  and  felt  he  ought  to  keep  a 


Grumblegizzard  45 

workman  who  was  so  strong.  He  had  better  come 
in  and  have  something  to  eat,  he  said.  Grumble- 
gizzard  thought  so  too,  and  he  alone  ate  all  that  was 
ready  for  the  master  and  mistress  and  for  the  servants, 
and  after  all  he  was  not  half  full. 

"  That  was  a  man  and  a  half  to  work,  but  a  fearful 
fellow  to  eat,  too ;  there  was  no  stopping  him,"  said 
the  goodman.  "  Such  a  labourer  would  eat  a  poor 
farmer  out  of  house  and  home  before  one  could  turn 
round." 

So  he  told  him  he  had  no  more  work  for  him.  He 
had  best  be  off  to  the  king's  grange. 

Then  Grumblegizzard  strode  on  to  the  king,  and 
got  a  place  at  once.  In  the  king's  grange  there  was 
enough  both  of  work  and  food.  He  was  to  be  odd 
man,  and  help  the  lasses  to  bring  in  wood  and  water, 
and  other  small  jobs.  So  he  asked  what  he  was  to 
do  first. 

"  Oh,  if  you  would  be  so  good  as  to  chop  us  a  little 
firewood." 

Yes.  Grumblegizzard  fell  to  chopping  and  hewing 
till  the  splinters  flew  about  him.  'Twas  not  long 
before  he  had  chopped  up  all  that  there  was,  both 
of  firewood  and  timber,  both  planks  and  beams;  and 
when  he  had  done,  he  came  back  and  asked  what  he 
was  to  do  now. 

"  Go  on  chopping  wood,"  they  said. 

"There's  no  more  left  to  chop,"  said  he. 

"That  couldn't  be  true,"  said  the  king's  grieve,  and 
he  went  and  looked  out  in  the  wood-yard.  But  it  was 
quite  true :  Grumblegizzard  had  chopped  everything 
up ;  he  had  made  firewood  both  of  sawn  planks  and 


4o 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


hewn  beams.  That  was  bad  work  tne  grieve  said,  and 
he  told  him  he  should  not  taste  a  morsel  of  food  till 
he  had  gone  into  the  forest  and  cut  down  as  much 
timber  as  he  had  chopped  up  into  firewood. 

Grumblegizzard  went  off  to  the  smithy,  and  got  the 

smith  to  help  him  to  make  an  axe  of  fifteen 

r//~  J      pounds  of  iron ;  and  so  he  went  into  the 

forest  and  began  to  clear  it ;  down   toppled 

tall    spruces    and    firs    fit    for 

/  -r'!3^\        yv      masts.    Everything  went  down 

that  he  found  either 
on  the  king's  or 
his  neighbour's 
ground  ;  he  did  not 
stay  to  top  or  lop 
them,  and  there 
they  lay  like  so 
many  windfalls. 
Then  he  laid  a  good 
load  on  a  sledge, 
and  put  all  the 
horses  to  it,  but 
they  could  not  stir 
the  load  from  the 
spot,  and  when  he 
took  them  by  the 
heads  and  wished  to  set  them  a-going,  he  pulled  their 
heads  off.  Then  he  tumbled  the  horses  out  of  the 
traces  on  to  the  ground,  and  drew  the  load  home  by 
himself. 

When  he  came  down  to  the  king's  grange,  the  king 
and  his  wood-grieve  stood  in  the  gallery  to  take  him 


Grumbleglzzard  ^rj 

to  task  for  having  been  so  wasteful  in  the  forest — the 
wood-grieve  had  been  up  to  see  what  he  was  at — but 
when  Grumblegizzard  came  along  dragging  back  half 
a  wood  of  timber,  the  king  got  both  angry  and  afraid, 
and  he  thought  he  must  be  careful  with  him,  since  he 
was  so  strong. 

"That  I  call  a  workman,  and  no  mistake,"  said  the 
king;  "  but  how  much  do  you  eat  at  once,  for  now  you 
may  well  be  hungry  ?  " 

"  When  he  was  to  have  a  good  meal  of  porridge,  he 
could  do  with  twelve  barrels  of  meal,"  said  Grumble- 
gizzard  ;  "  but  when  he  had  got  so  much  inside  him, 
he  could  hold  out  for  some  time." 

It  took  time  to  get  the  porridge  boiled,  and,  mean- 
time, he  was  to  draw  in  a  little  wood  for  the  cook ;  so 
he  laid  the  whole  pile  of  wood  on  a  sledge,  but  when 
he  was  to  get  through  the  doorway  with  it,  he  got  into 
a  scrape  again.  The  house  was  so  shaken  that  it  gave 
way  at  every  joist,  and  he  was  within  an  ace  of  drag- 
ging the  whole  grange  over  on  end. 

When  the  hour  drew  near  for  dinner,  they  sent  him 
out  to  call  home  the  folk  from  the  field;  he  bawled 
and  bellowed  so  that  the  rocks  and  hills  rang  again ; 
but  they  did  not  come  quick  enough  for  him,  so  he  fell 
out  with  them,  and  slew  twelve  of  them  on  the  spot. 

"  He  has  slain  twelve  men,"  said  the  king;  "and  he 
eats  for  twelve  times  twelve.  But  for  how  many  do 
you  work,  I  should  like  to  know  ?  " 

"  For  twelve  times  twelve  too,"  said  Grumble- 
gizzard. 

When  he  had  eaten  his  dinner,  he  was  to  go  out 
into  the  barn  to  thrash  ;  so  he  took  off  the  roof-tree  and 


48  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

made  a  flail  out  of  it;  and  when  the  roof  was  just 
about  to  fall,  he  took  a  great  spruce  fir,  branches  and 
all,  and  stuck  it  up  for  a  roof-tree ;  and  then  he 
thrashed  the  floor  and  the  straw  and  hay  altogether. 
He  did  great  harm,  for  the  grain  and  chaff  and  beard 
flew  about  together,  and  a  cloud  arose  over  the  whole 
grange. 

When  he  was  nearly  done  thrashing,  enemies  came 
into  the  land,  and  there  was  to  be  war.  So  the  king 
told  him  to  take  folk  with  him  and  go  on  the  way  to 
meet  the  foe  and  fight  them,  for  he  thought  they 
would  put  him  to  death.  "  No !  he  would  have  no 
folk  with  him  to  be  slain ;  he  would  fight  alone,  that 
he  would,"  said  Grumblegizzard. 

"All  the  better;  I  shall  be  sooner  rid  of  him,"  said 
the  king. 

But  he  must  have  a  mighty  club. 

They  sent  off  to  the  smith  to  forge  a  club  of  fifty 
pounds.  "That  might  do  very  well  to  crack  nuts," 
said  Grumblegizzard.  So  they  smithied  him  one  of  a 
hundred  pounds.  "  That  might  do  well  enough  to 
nail  shoes  with,"  he  said.  Well,  the  smith  couldn't 
smithy  it  any  bigger  with  all  his  men.  So  Grumble- 
gizzard went  off  to  the  smithy  himself,  and  forged  a 
club  of  fifteen  tons,  and  it  took  a  hundred  men  to 
turn  it  on  the  anvil.  "That  might  do,"  said  Grumble- 
gizzard. 

Besides,  he  must  have  a  scrip  for  food;  and  he 
made  one  out  of  fifteen  ox-hides,  and  stuffed  it  full  of 
food.  And  so  he  toddled  off  down  the  hill  with  his 
scrip  at  his  back  and  his  club  on  his  shoulder. 

So,  when  he  had  got  so  far  that  the  enemy  saw  him, 


/     Grumblegizzard  49 

they  sent  out  a  man  to  ask  if  he  were  coming  against 
them. 

"  Bide  a  bit,  till  I  have  had  my  dinner,"  said 
Grumblegizzard,  as  he  threw  himself  down  on  the 
road,  and  fell  to  eating  behind  his  great  scrip. 

But  they  couldn't  wait,  and  began  to  shoot  at  him 
at  once,  so  that  it  rained  and  hailed  rifle  bullets. 

"These  bilberries  I  don't  mind  a  bit,"  said  Grumble- 
gizzard,  and  fell  to  eating  harder  than  ever. 

Neither  lead  nor  iron  could  touch  him,  and  before 
him  was  his  scrip,  like  a  wall,  and  kept  off  the  fire. 

So  they  took  to  throwing  shells  at  him,  and  to  fire 
cannons  at  him  ;  and  he  just  grinned  a  little  every 
time  they  hit  him. 

"Ah  !  ah  !  it's  all  no  good,"  he  said.  But  just  then 
he  got  a  bombshell  right  down  his  throat. 

"  Fie  ! "  he  said,  and  spat  it  out  again  ;  and  then 
came  a  chain-shot  and  made  its  way  into  his  butter- 
box,  and  another  took  the  bit  he  was  just  going  to  eat 
from  between  his  fingers.  Then  he  got  angry,  and  rose 
up,  and  took  his  club,  and  dashed  it  on  the  ground, 
and  asked  if  they  were  going  to  snatch  the  bread  out 
of  his  mouth  with  their  bilberries,  which  they  puffed 
out  of  big  peashooters.  Then  he  gave  a  few  more 
strokes,  till  the  rocks  and  hills  shook,  and  the  enemy 
flew  into  the  air  like  chaff,  and  so  the  war  was  over. 

When  Grumblegizzard  got  home  again  and  wanted 
more  work,  the  king  was  in  a  sad  way,  for  he  thought 
he  should  have  been  rid  of  him  that  time,  and  now 
he  could  think  of  nothing  but  to  send  him  to  hell. 

"  You  must  be  off  to  Old  Nick,  and  ask  for  my  land- 
tax." 

D 


$o  Tales  jrom  the  Fje/d 

Grumblegizzard  set  off  from  the  grange,  with  his 
scrip  on  his  back  and  his  club  on  his  shoulder.  He 
lost  no  time  on  the  way,  but  when  he  got  there,  Old 
Nick  was  gone  to  serve  on  a  jury.  There  was  no  one 
at  home  but  his  mother,  and  she  said  she  had  never 
in  her  born  days  heard  talk  of  any  land-tax ;  he  had 
better  come  again  another  day. 

"  Yes,  yes  !  come  to  me  to-morrow  !  "  said  Grumble- 
gizzard.  "That's  all  stuff  and  nonsense,  for  to-mor- 
row never  comes."  Now  he  was  there,  he  would  stay 
there.  He  must  and  would  have  the  land-tax,  and 
he  had  lots  of  time  to  wait. 

But  when  he  had  eaten  up  all  his  food,  the  time 
hung  heavy,  and  so  he  went  and  asked  the  old  dame 
to  give  him  the  land-tax.     She  must  pay  it  down. 

"  No,"  she  said,  "  she  couldn't  do  it.  That  stood 
as  fast  as  the  old  fir-tree,"  she  said,  "that  grew  outside 
the  gate  of  hell,  and  was  so  big  that  fifteen  men  could 
scarcely  span  it  when  they  held  hands." 

But  Grumblegizzard  climbed  up  to  the  top  of  it,  and 
twisted  and  turned  it  about  like  an  osier;  and  then  he 
asked  if  she  were  ready  with  the  land-tax. 

Yes,  she  dared  not  do  anything  else,  and  found 
so  many  pence  as  he  thought  he  could  carry  in  his 
scrip. 

And  now  he  started  for  home  with  the  land-tax; 
but,  as  soon  as  he  was  off,  Old  Nick  came  back. 
When  he  heard  that  Grumblegizzard  had  stridden  off 
from  his  house  with  his  big  scrip  full  of  money,  he 
first  of  all  beat  and  banged  his  mother,  and  then  ran 
after  him  to  catch  him  on  the  way. 

And   he  caught  him  up  too,  for  he  ran  light,  and 


"  He  must  and  would  have  the  land-tax." 


Grumblegizzard 


53 


used  his  wings,  while  Grumblegizzard  had  to  keep 
to  the  ground  under  the  weight  of  the  big  scrip ;  but, 
just  as  Old  Nick  was  at  his  heels,  he  began  to  run  and 
jump  as  fast  as  he  could;  and  he  held  his  club  behind 
him  to  keep  Old  Nick  off. 

And   so  they  went  along,   Grumblegizzard   holding 
the  haft,  and  Old  Nick  clawing  at  the  head,  till  they 


came  to  a  deep  dale;  there  Grumblegizzard  leapt  from 
one  hill-top  to  the  other,  and  Old  Nick  was  so  hot  to 
follow,  that  he  tripped  over  the  club  and  fell  down  into 
the  dale,  and  broke  his  leg,  and  so  there  he  lay. 

"  Here  you  have  the  land-tax,"  said  Grumblegizzard, 
as  he  came  to  the  king's  grange,  and  dashed  down 
the  scripful  of  money  before  the  king,  so  that  the 
whole  gallery  creaked  and  cracked. 


54 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


The  king  thanked  him,  and  put  a  good  face  on  it, 
and  promised  him  good  pay  and  a  safe  pass  home  if 
he  cared  to  have  it ;  but  all  Grumblegizzard  wanted 
was  more  work. 

"  What  shall  I   do   now  ?  "  he   asked.     Well,  when 
the  king  had  thought  about  it,  he  said  he  had  better 
travel  to  the  Hill  Troll,  who  had  carried  off  his  grand- 
father's sword  to  that  castle  he  had 
•    -  by  the  lake,  whither  no  one  dared 

to  go. 

So  Grumblegizzard  got  several 

loads  of  food   into  his   big  scrip, 

and  set  off  again ;  and 

he  fared  both  far  and 

long,  over  wood  and 

fell,  and  wild  wastes, 

till  he  came  to  some 

high    hills,   where    the 

Troll  was  said  to  dwell 

who  had  taken  the  king's 

grandfather's  sword. 

But   the  Troll  was   not 
to  be  seen  under  bare  sky, 
and   the   hill  was   fast   shut,    so   that    even   Grumble- 
gizzard was  not  man  enough  to  get  in. 

So  he  joined  fellowship  with  some  quarrymen,  who 
were  living  at  a  hill  farm,  and  who  lay  up  there  quarry- 
ing stone  in  those  hills.  Such  help  they  never  yet  had, 
for  he  beat  and  battered  the  fell  till  the  rocks  were  rent, 
and  great  stones  were  rolled  down  as  big  as  houses  ; 
but  when  he  was  to  rest  at  noon,  and  take  out  one 
load  of  food,  the  whole  scrip  was  clean  eaten  out. 


Grumble  gizzard  5  5 

"  I'm  a  pretty  good  trencherman  myself,"  said 
Grumblegizzard ;  "  but  whoever  has  been  here,  has 
a  sharper  tooth,  for  he  has  eaten  up  bones  and  all." 

That  was  how  things  went  the  first  day,  and  it  was 
no  better  the  next.  The  third  day  he  set  off  to  quarry 
stones  again,  and  took  with  him  the  third  meal  of 
food ;  but  he  lay  down  behind  it,  and  shammed  sleep. 

Just  then  there  came  out  of  the  hill  a  Troll  with 
seven  heads,  and  began  to  munch  and  eat  his  food. 

"  Now  the  board  is  laid,  and  I  will  eat,"  said  the 
Troll. 

"  That  we'll  have  a  tussle  for,"  said  Grumblegizzard  ; 
and  gave  him  a  blow  with  his  club,  and  knocked  off 
all  his  seven  heads  at  once. 

So  he  went  into  the  hill,  out  of  which  the  Troll 
had  come,  and  in  there  stood  a  horse,  which  ate  out 
of  a  tub  of  glowing  coals,  and  at  its  heels  stood  a 
tub  of  oats. 

"Why  don't  you  eat  out  of  the  tub  of  oats?"  said 
Grumblegizzard. 

"  Because  I  am  not  able  to  turn  round,"  said  the 
horse. 

"  I'll  soon  turn  you,"  said  he. 

"  Rather  strike  off  my  head,"  said  the  horse. 

"So  he  struck  it  off,  and  then  the  horse  was  turned 
into  a  handsome  man.  He  said  he  had  been  taken 
into  the  hill  by  the  Troll,  and  turned  into  a  horse,  and 
then  he  helped  him  to  find  the  sword,  which  the  Troll 
had  hidden  at  the  bottom  of  his  bed,  and  upon  the 
bed  lay  the  Troll's  old  mother,  asleep  and  snoring. 

Home  again  they  went  by  water,  and  when  they 
had  got  well  out,  the  old  witch  came  after  them;  as 


56  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

she  could  not  catch  them,  she  fell  to  drinking  the  lake 
dry,  and  she  drank  and  drank,  till  the  water  in  the 
lake  fell ;  but  she  could  not  drink  the  sea  dry,  and 
so  she  burst. 

When  they  came  to  shore,  Grumblegizzard  sent  a 
message  to  the  king,  to  come  and  fetch  his  sword. 
He  sent  four  horses.  No !  they  could  not  stir  it ; 
he  sent  eight,  and  he  sent  twelve ;  but  the  sword 
stayed  where  it  was,  they  could  not  move  it  an  inch. 
But  Grumblegizzard  took  it  up  alone,  and  bore  it 
along. 

The  king  could  not  believe  his  eyes  when  he  saw 
Grumblegizzard  again  ;  but  he  put  a  good  face  on  it, 
and  promised  him  gold  and  green  woods ;  and  when 
Grumblegizzard  wanted  more  work,  he  said  he  had 
better  set  off  for  a  haunted  castle  he  had,  where  no 
one  dared  to  be,  and  there  he  must  sleep  till  he  had 
built  a  bridge  over  the  Sound,  so  that  folk  could  pass 
over.  If  he  were  good  to  do  that  he  would  pay  him 
well;  nay,  he  would  be  glad  to  give  him  his  daughter 
to  wife. 

"Yes!  yes!  I  am  good  to  do  that,"  said  Grumble- 
gizzard. 

No  man  had  ever  left  that  castle  alive;  those  who 
reached  it  lay  there  slain  and  torn  to  bits,  and  the  king 
thought  he  should  never  see  him  more,  if  he  only  got 
him  to  go  thither. 

But  Grumblegizzard  set  off;  and  he  took  with  him 
his  scrip  of  food,  a  very  tough  and  twisted  stump  of 
a  fir-tree,  an  axe,  a  wedge,  and  a  few  matches,  and 
besides,  he  took  the  workhouse  boy  from  the  king's 
grange. 


Grumblegizzard  57 

When  they  got  to  the  Sound,  the  river  ran  full  of 
ice,  and  was  as  headlong  as  a  force;  but  he  stuck 
his  legs  fast  at  the  bottom,  and  waded  on  till  he  got 
over  at  last. 

When  he  had  lighted  a  fire  and  warmed  himself,  and 
got  a  bit  of  food,  he  tried  to  sleep ;  but  it  was  not  long 
before  there  was  such  a  noise  and  din,  as  though  the 
whole  castle  was  turned  topsy-turvy.  The  door  blew 
back  against  the  wall,  and  he  saw  nothing  but  a  gaping 
jaw,  from  the  threshold  up  to  the  lintel. 

"  There,  you  have  a  bit — taste  that !  "  said  Grumble- 
gizzard,  as  he  threw  the  workhouse  boy  into  the  gaping 
maw. 

"  Now  let  me  see  you,  what  kind  you  are.  Maybe 
we  are  old  friends." 

So  it  was,  for  it  was  Old  Nick,  who  was  outside. 
Then  they  took  to  playing  cards,  for  the  Old  One 
wanted  to  try  and  win  back  some  of  the  land-tax, 
which  Grumblegizzard  had  squeezed  out  of  his  mother, 
when  he  went  to  ask  it  for  the  king;  but  whichever 
way  they  cut  the  cards,  Grumblegizzard  won,  for  he 
put  a  cross  on  all  the  court  cards,  and  when  he  had 
won  all  his  ready  money,  Old  Nick  was  forced  to  give 
Grumblegizzard  some  of  the  gold  and  silver  that  was 
in  the  castle. 

Just  as  they  were  hard  at  it  the  fire  went  out,  so 
that  they  could  not  tell  one  card  from  another. 

"  Now  we  must  chop  wood,"  said  Grumblegizzard, 
and  with  that  he  drove  his  axe  into  the  fir-stump,  and 
thrust  the  wedge  in ;  but  the  gnarled  root  was  tough, 
and  would  not  split  at  once,  however  much  he  twisted 
and  turned  his  axe. 


58  Tales  from  the  Fjeid 

"They  say  you  are  very  strong/'  he  said  to  Old 
Nick  ;  "  spit  in  your  fists  and  bear  a  hand  with  your 
claws,  and  rive  and  rend,  and  let  me  see  the  stuff  you 
are  made  of." 

Old  Nick  did  so,  and  put  both  his  fists  into  the 
split,  and  strove  to  rend  it  with  might  and  main,  but, 
at  the  same  time,  Grumblegizzard  struck  the  wedge 
out,  and  Old  Nick  was  caught  in  a  trap;  and  then 
Grumblegizzard  tried  his  back  with  his  axe.  Old 
Nick  begged  and  prayed  so  prettily  to  be  let  go,  but 
Grumblegizzard  was  hard  of  hearing  on  that  side  till 
he  gave  his  word  never  to  come  there  again  and  make 
a  noise.  And  so  he  too  had  to  promise  to  build  a 
bridge  over  the  Sound,  so  that  folks  could  pass  over  it 
at  all  times  of  the  year,  and  it  was  to  be  ready  when 
the  ice  was  gone. 

"  This  is  a  hard  bargain,"  said  Old  Nick.  But  there 
was  no  help  for  it,  if  he  wished  to  get  out.  He  had  to 
give  his  word ;  only  he  bargained  he  was  to  have  the 
first  soul  that  passed  over  the  bridge.  That  was  to 
be  the  Sound  due. 

"That  he  should  have,"  said  Grumblegizzard.  So 
he  got  loose,  and  went  home ;  but  Grumblegizzard  lay 
down  to  sleep,  and  slept  till  far  on  next  day. 

So  when  the  king  came  to  see  if  he  was  hacked  to 
pieces  or  torn  to  bits,  he  had  to  wade  through  heaps 
of  money  before  he  could  get  to  the  bed.  It  lay  in 
piles  and  sacks  high  up  the  wall :  but  Grumblegizzard 
lay  in  the  bed  asleep  and  snoring. 

"God  help  both  me  and  my  daughter/'  said  the  king 
when  he  saw  that  Grumblegizzard  was  alive  and  rich. 
Yes,  all  was  good  and  well  done;  there  was  no  gain- 


Grumblegizzard 


59 


saying  that.  But  it  was  not  worth  while  talking  of  the 
wedding  till  the  bridge  was  ready. 

So  one  day  the  bridge  stood  read}^  and  Old  Nick 
stood  on  it  to  take  the  toll  he  had  bargained  for. 

Now  Grumblegizzard  wanted  to  take  the  king  with 
him  to  try  the  bridge,  but  he  had  no  mind  to  do  that. 
So  he  got  up  himself  on  a  horse,  and  threw  the  fat 
milkmaid  from  the  king's  grange  upon  the  pommel 
before  him — she  looked  for  all  the  world  like  a  big  fir- 


stump — and  then  he  rode  over  till  the  bridge  thundered 
under  him. 

"Where  is  the  Sound  due?  Where  have  you  put 
the  soul  ?  "  screamed  Old  Nick. 

"  It  sits  inside  this  stump.  If  you  want  it,  spit  in 
your  fists  and  take  it,"  said  Grumblegizzard. 

11  Nay,  nay  !  many  thanks,"  said  Old  Nick.  "  If  she 
doesn't  take  me,  I'll  not  take  her.  You  caught  me  once, 
and  you  shan't  catch  me  again  in  a  "left  stick  ; "  and 
with  that  he  flew  off  straight  home  to  his  old  mother; 
and  since  then  he  has  never  been  seen  or  heard  in 
those  parts. 


6o 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


But  Grumblegizzard  went  home  to  the  king's  grange, 
and  wanted  the  wages  the  king  had  promised  him;  and 
when  the  king  tried  to  wriggle  out  of  it,  and  would  not 
keep  his  word,  Grumblegizzard  said  he  had  better  pack 
up  a  good  scrip  of  food,  for  he  was  going  to  take  his 
wages  himself.  Yes,  the  king  did  that :  and,  when  all 
was  ready,  Grumblegizzard  took  the  king  out  before 
the  door,  and  gave  him  a  good  push  and  sent  him  flying 
up  into  the  air.  As  for  the  scrip,  he  threw  it  after  him, 
that  he  might  have  something  to  eat.  And,  if  he  hasn't 
come  down  again,  there  he  is  still  hanging  with  his 
scrip  between  heaven  and  earth,  to  this  very  day  that 
now  is. 


Father  Bruin  in  the  Corner 


on  a  time  there  was  a  man  who 
lived  far,  far  away  in 
the  wood.  He  had 
many,  many  goats  and 
sheep,  but  never  a  one 
could  he  keep  for  fear 
of  Greylegs,  the  wolf. 
At  last  he  said,  "  I'll 
soon  trap  Grey- 
boots,"  and  so  he 
set  to  work  digging  a  pitfall.  When  he  had  dug  it 
deep  enough,  he  put  a  pole  down  in  the  midst  of  the 
pit,  and  on  the  top  of  the  pole  he  set  a  board,  and  on 
the  board  he  put  a  little  dog.  Over  the  pit  itself  he 
spread  boughs  and  branches  and  leaves,  and  other 
rubbish,  and  a-top  of  all  he  strewed  snow,  so  that 
Greylegs  might  not  see  there  was  a  pit  underneath. 

So  when  it  got  on  in  the  night,  the  little  dog  grew 
weary  of  sitting  there :  "  Bow-wow,  bow-wow,"  it  said, 
and  bayed  at  the  moon.  Just  then  up  came  a  fox, 
slouching  and  sneaking,  and  thought  here  was  a  fine 
time  for  marketing,  and  with  that  gave  a  jump — head 
over  heels  down  into  the  pitfall. 

And  when  it  got  a  little  farther  on  in  the  night,  the 

61 


62 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


little  dog  got  so  weary  and  so  hungry,  and  it  fell  to 
yelping  and  howling :  "  Bow-wow,  bow-wow,"  it  cried 
out.  Just  at  that  very  moment  up  came  Greylegs, 
trotting  and  trotting.  He  too  thought  he  should  get 
a  fat  steak,  and  he  too  made  a  spring — head  over  heels 
down  into  the  pitialL 

When  it  was  getting  on  towards  grey  dawn  in  the 
morning,  down  fell  snow,   with  a  north  wind,  and  it 

grew  so  cold  that  the 
little  dog  stood  and 
froze,  and  shivered  and 
shook ;  it  was  so  weary 
and  hungry,  "  Bow- 
wow, bow-wow,  bow- 
wow," it  called  out, 
and  barked  and  yelped 
and  howled.  Then  up 
came  a  bear,  tramping 
and  tramping  along, 
and  thought  to  him- 
self how  he  could  get  a  morsel  for  breakfast  at  the 
very  top  of  the  morning,  and  so  he  thought  and 
thought  among  the  boughs  and  branches  till  he  too 
went  bump — head  over  heels  down  into  the  pitfall. 

So  when  it  got  a  little  farther  on  in  the  morning, 
an  old  beggar  wife  came  walking  by,  who  toddled 
from  farm  to  farm  with  a  bag  on  her  back.  When 
she  set  eyes  on  the  little  dog  that  stood  there  and 
howled,  she  couldn't  help  going  near  to  look  and  see 
if  any  wild  beasts  had  fallen  into  the  pit  during  the 
night.  So  she  crawled  up  on  her  knees  and  peeped 
down  into  it. 


Father  Bruin  in  the  Corner  63 

"Art  thou  come  into  the  pit  at  last,  Reynard?" 
she  said  to  the  fox,  for  he  was  the  first  she  saw ;  "  a 
very  good  place,  too,  for  such  a  hen-roost  robber  as 
thou:  and  thou,  too,  Greypaw,"  she  said  to  the  wolf; 
"  many  a  goat  and  sheep  hast  thou  torn  and  rent,  and 
now  thou  shalt  be  plagued  and  punished  to  death. 
Bless  my  heart !  Thou,  too,  Bruin !  art  thou,  too, 
sitting  in  this  room,  thou  mare-flayer?  Thee,  too, 
will  we  strip,  and  thee  shall  we  flay,  and  thy  skull 
shall  be  nailed  up  on  the  wall."  All  this  the  old  lass 
screeched  out  as  she 
bent  over  towards  the 
bear.  But  just  then 
her  bag  fell  over  her 
ears,  and  dragged  her 
down,  and  slap  !  down 
went  the  old  crone — 
head  over  heels  into 
the  pitfall. 

So   there    they   all 
four  sat  and  glared  at 

one  another,  each  in  a  corner — the  fox  in  one,  Grey- 
legs  in  another,  Bruin  in  a  third,  and  the  old  crone 
in  a  fourth. 

But  as  soon  as  it  was  broad  daylight,  Reynard 
began  to  peep  and  peer,  and  to  twist  and  turn  about, 
for  he  thought  he  might  as  well  try  to  get  out. 

But  the  old  lass  cried  out,  "Canst  thou  not  sit  still, 
thou  whirligig  thief,  and  not  go  twisting  and  turning? 
Only  look  at  Father  Bruin  himself  in  the  corner,  how 
he  sits  as  grave  as  a  judge,"  for  now  she  thought  she 
might  as  well  make  friends  with  the  bear.      But  just 


64  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

then  up  came  the  man  who  owned  the  pitfall.  First 
he  drew  up  the  old  wife,  and  after  that  he  slew  all 
the  beasts,  and  neither  spared  Father  Bruin  himself  in 
the  corner,  nor  Greylegs,  nor  Reynard  the  whirligig 
thief.  That  night,  at  least,  he  thought  he  had  made  a 
good  haul. 


Reynard  and  Chanticleer 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  cock  who  stood  on 
a  dung-heap  and  crew  and  napped  his  wings. 
Then  the  fox  came  by. 
"Good  day,"  said  Reynard.      "I  heard  you  crowing 
so  nicely ;  but   can  you  stand  on  one  leg  and  crow, 
and  wink  your  eyes  ?  " 

"Oh,  yes,"  said  Chanticleer,  "I  can  do  that  very 
well."  So  he  stood  on  one  leg  and  crew ;  but  he 
winked  only  with  one  eye,  and  when  he  had  done 
that  he  made  himself  big  and  flapped  his  wings,  as 
though  he  had  done  a  great  thing. 

"Very  pretty,  to  be  sure,"  said  Reynard.  "Almost 
as  pretty  as  when  the  parson  preaches  in  church ;  but 
can  you  stand  on  one  leg  and  wink  both  your  eyes 
at  once?     I  hardly  think  you  can." 

"  Can't  I,  though !  "  said  Chanticleer,  and  stood  on 
one  leg,  and   winked   both  his  eyes,  and  crew.     But 

6S  e 


66 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


Reynard  caught  hold  of  him,  took  him  by  the  throat, 
and  threw  him  over  his  back,  so  that  he  was  off  to 
the  wood  before  he  had  crowed  his  crow  out,  as  fast 
as  Reynard  could  lay  legs  to  the  ground. 

When  they  had  come  under  an  old  spruce  fir, 
Reynard  threw  Chanticleer  on  the  ground,  and  set  his 
paw  on  his  breast,  and  was  going  to  take  a  bite  ! 

"  You  are  a  heathen,  Reynard  ! " 
said  Chanticleer.  "  Good  Christians 
say  grace,  and  ask  a  blessing  before 
they  eat." 

But  Reynard  would  be  no 
heathen.  God  forbid  it !  So 
he  let  go  his  hold,  and  was 
about  to  fold  his  paws  over 
his  breast  and  say  grace — but 
pop!  up  flew  Chanticleer  into 
a  tree. 

"You  shan't  get  off  for 
all  that,"  said  Reynard 
to  himself.  So  he  went 
away,  and  came  again 
with  a  few  chips  which 
the  woodcutters  had 
left.  Chanticleer  peeped  and  peered  to  see  what  they 
could  be. 

"  Whatever  have  you  got  there  ?  "  he  asked. 
"These  are  letters  I  have  just  got,"  said  Reynard; 
"  won't  you  help  me  to  read  them,  for  I  don't  know 
how  to  read  writing  ?  " 

"  I'd  be  so  happy,  but  I  dare  not  read  them 
now,"  said  Chanticleer,   "for  here  comes    a   hunter; 


Reynard  and  Chanticleer  67 

I  see  him,  I  see  him,  as  I  sit  by  the  tree 
trunk." 

When  Reynard  heard  Chanticleer  chattering  about 
a  hunter,  he  took  to  his  heels  as  quick  as  he 
could. 

This  time  it  was  Reynard  who  was  made  game  of. 


The    Companion 


'Tti 
/4'|f 


NCE  on  a  time  there 
was  a  farmer's  son  who 
dreamt  that  he  was  to 
marry  a  princess  far, 
far  out  in  the  world. 
She  was  as  red  and 
white  as  milk  and 
blood,  and  so  rich 
there  was  no  end  to 
her  riches.  When  he 
awoke  he  seemed  to 
see  her  still  standing  bright  and  living  before  him, 
and  he  thought  her  so  sweet  and  lovely  that  his  life 
was  not  worth  having  unless  he  had  her  too.  So  he 
sold  all  he  had,  and  set  off  into  the  world  to  find  her 
out.  Well,  he  went  far,  and  farther  than  far,  and 
about  winter  he  came  to  a  land  where  all  the  high- 
roads lay  right  straight  on  end  ;  there  wasn't  a  bend 
in  any  of  them.  When  he  wandered  on  and  on  for 
a  quarter  of  a  year  he  came  to  a  town,  and  outside 
the  church  door  lay  a  big  block  of  ice,  in  which  there 
stood  a  dead  body,  and  the  whole  parish  spat  on  it 
as  they  passed  by  to  church.     The   lad   wondered  at 


The  Companion  69 

this,  and  when  the  priest  came  out  of  church  he  asked 
him  what  it  all  meant. 

"  It  is  a  great  wrong-doer,"  said  the  priest.  "  He 
has  been  executed  for  his  ungodliness,  and  set  up 
there  to  be  mocked  and  spat  upon." 

"  But  what  was  his  wrong-doing  ?  "  asked  the  lad. 

"When  he  was  alive  here  he  was  a  vintner,"  said 
the  priest,  "and  he  mixed  water  with  his  wine." 

The  lad  thought  that  no  such  dreadful  sin. 

"  Well,"  he  said,  "  after  he  had  atoned  for  it  with 
his  life,  you  might  as  well  have  let  him  have  Christian 
burial  and  peace  after  death." 

But  the  priest  said  that  could  not  be  in  any  wise, 
for  there  must  be  folk  to  break  him  out  of  the  ice, 
and  money  to  buy  a  grave  from  the  church ;  then  the 
graved igger  must  be  paid  for  digging  the  grave,  and 
the  sexton  for  tolling  the  bell,  and  the  clerk  for 
singing  the  hymns,  and  the  priest  for  sprinkling  dust 
over  him. 

"  Do  you  think  now  there  would  be  any  one  who 
would  be  willing  to  pay  all  this  for  an  executed 
sinner  ?  " 

Yes,"  said  the  lad.  "  If  he  could  only  get  him 
buried  in  Christian  earth,  he  would  be  sure  to  pay 
for  his  funeral  ale  out  of  his  scanty  means." 

Even  after  that  the  priest  hemmed  and  hawed ; 
but  when  the  lad  came  with  two  witnesses,  and  asked 
him  right  out  in  their  hearing  if  he  could  refuse  to 
sprinkle  dust  over  the  corpse,  he  was  forced  to  answer 
that  he  could  not. 

So  they  broke  the  vintner  out  of  the  block  of  ice, 
and  laid  him  in  Christian  earth,  and  they  tolled  the 


jo  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

bell  and  sang  hymns  over  him,  and  the  priest  sprinkled 
dust  over  him,  and  they  drank  his  funeral  ale  till  they 
wept  and  laughed  by  turns ;  but  when  the  lad  had  paid 
for  the  ale  he  hadn't  many  pence  left  in  his  pocket. 

He  set  off  on  his  way  again,  but  he  hadn't  got  far 
ere  a  man  overtook  him,  who  asked  if  he  didn't  think 
it  dull  work  walking  on  all  alone. 

No ;  the  lad  did  not  think  it  dull.  '*  I  have  always 
something  to  think  about,"  he  said. 

Then  the  man  asked  if  he  wouldn't  like  to  have  a 
servant. 

"No,"  said  the  lad;  "I  am  wont  to  be  my  own 
servant,  therefore  I  have  need  of  none ;  and  even  if  I 
wanted  one  ever  so  much,  I  have  no  means  to  get  one, 
for  I  have  no  money  to  pay  for  his  food  and  wages." 

"  You  do  need  a  servant,  that  I  know  better  than 
you,"  said  the  man,  "and  you  have  need  of  one  whom 
you  can  trust  in  life  and  death.  If  you  won't  have  me 
as  a  servant,  }rou  may  take  me  as  your  companion ;  I 
give  you  my  word  I  will  stand  you  in  good  stead,  and 
it  shan't  cost  you  a  penny.  I  will  pay  my  own  fare, 
and  as  for  food  and  clothing,  you  shall  have  no  trouble 
about  them." 

Well,  on  those  terms  he  was  willing  enough  to  have 
him  as  his  companion ;  so  after  that  they  travelled 
together,  and  the  man  for  the  most  part  went  on  ahead 
and  showed  the  lad  the  way. 

So  after  they  had  travelled  on  and  on  from  land  to 
land,  over  hill  and  wood,  they  came  to  a  crossfell  that 
stopped  the  way.  There  the  companion  went  up  and 
knocked,  and  bade  them  open  the  door;  and  the  rock 
opened  sure  enough,   and   when  they  got  inside  the 


The   Companion 


71 


hill  up  came  an  old  witch  with  a  chair,  and  asked 
them,  "Be  so  good  as  to  s't  down.  No  doubt  ye  are 
weary." 

"Sit  on   it  yourself,"  said    the   man.     So  she  was 


./■  ~s 


forced  to  take  her  seat,  and  as  soon  as  she  sat  down 
she  stuck  fast,  for  the  chair  was  such  that  it  let  no  or.e 
loose  that  came  near  it.  Meanwhile  they  went  about 
inside  the  hill,  and  the  companion  looked  round  till  he 
saw  a  sword  hanging  over  the  door.     That  he  would 


72  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

have,  and  if  he  got  it  he  gave  his  word  to  the  old 
witch  that  he  would  let  her  loose  out  of  the  chair. 

"Nay,  nay,"  she  screeched  out;  "ask  me  anything 
else.  Anything  else  you  may  have,  but  not  that,  for  it 
is  my  Three-Sister  Sword ;  we  are  three  sisters  who 
own  it  together." 

"Very  well;  then  you  may  sit  there  till  the  end  of 
the  world,"  said  the  man.  But  when  she  heard  that, 
she  said  he  might  have  it  if  he  would  set  her  free. 

So  he  took  the  sword  and  went  off  with  it,  and  left 
her  still  sitting  there. 

When  they  had  gone  far,  far  away  over  naked 
fells  and  wide  wastes,  they  came  to  another  crossfell. 
There,  too,  the  companion  knocked  and  bade  them 
open  the  door,  and  the  same  thing  happened  as 
happened  before;  the  rock  opened,  and  when  they  had 
got  a  good  way  into  the  hill  another  old  witch  came  up 
to  them  with  a  chair  and  begged  them  to  sit  down. 
"Ye  may  well  be  wea^,"  she  said. 

"Sit  down  yourself/'  said  the  companion.  And 
so  she  fared  as  her  sister  had  fared;  she  did  not 
dare  to  say  nay,  and  as  soon  as  she  sat  down  on 
the  chair  she  stuck  fast.  Meanwhile  the  lad  and  his 
companion  went  about  in  the  hill,  and  the  man  broke 
open  all  the  chests  and  drawers  till  he  found  what 
he  sought,  and  that  was  a  golden  ball  of  yarn.  That 
he  set  his  heart  on,  and  he  promised  the  old  witch 
to  set  her  free  if  she  would  give  him  the  golden  ball. 
She  said  he  might  take  all  she  had,  but  that  she 
could  not  part  with ;  it  was  her  Three-Sister  Ball. 
But  when  she  heard  that  she  should  sit  there  till 
doomsday  unless   he  got   it,  she  said  he  might   take 


The  Companion  73 

it  all  the  same  if  he  would  only  set  her  free.  So 
the  companion  took  the  golden  ball,  but  he  left  her 
sitting  where  she  sat. 

So  on  they  went  for  many  days,  over  waste  and 
wood,  till  they  came  to  a  third  crossfell.  There  all 
went  as  it  had  gone  twice  before.  The  companion 
knocked,  the  rock  opened,  and  inside  the  hill  an  old 
witch  came  up,  and  asked  them  to  sit  on  her  chair, 
they  must  be  tired.  But  the  companion  said  again, 
"  Sit  on  it  yourself,"  and  there  she  sat.  They  had 
not  gone  through  many  rooms  before  they  saw  an 
old  hat  which  hung  on  a  peg  behind  the  door.  That 
the  companion  must  and  would  have;  but  the  old 
witch  couldn't  part  with  it.  It  was  her  Three-Sister 
Hat,  and  if  she  gave  it  away,  all  her  luck  would  be 
lost.  But  when  she  heard  that  she  would  have  to 
sit  there  till  the  end  of  the  world  unless  he  got  it, 
she  said  he  might  take  it  if  he  would  only  let  her 
loose.  When  the  companion  had  got  well  hold  of 
the  hat,  he  went  off,  and  bade  her  sit  there  still, 
like  the  rest  of  her  sisters. 

After  a  long,  long  time,  they  came  to  a  Sound ;  then 
the  companion  took  the  ball  of  yarn,  and  threw  it  so 
hard  against  the  rock  on  the  other  side  of  the  stream, 
that  it  bounded  back,  and  after  he  had  thrown  it  back- 
wards and  forwards  a  few  times  it  became  a  bridge. 
On  that  bridge  they  went  over  the  Sound,  and  when 
they  reached  the  other  side,  the  man  bade  the  lad 
to  be  quick  and  wind  up  the  yarn  again  as  soon  as 
he  could,  for,  said  he — 

"  If  we  don't  wind  it  up  quick,  all  those  witches 
will  come  after  us,  and  tear  us  to  bits." 


74  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

So  the  lad  wound  and  wound  with  all  his  might 
and  main,  and  when  there  was  no  more  to  wind  than 
the  very  last  thread,  up  came  the  old  witches  on  the 
wings  of  the  wind.  They  flew  to  the  water,  so  that 
the  spray  rose  before  them,  and  snatched  at  the  end 
of  the  thread  ;  but  they  could  not  quite  get  hold  of 
it,  and  so  they  were  drowned  in  the  Sound. 

When  they  had  gone  on  a  few  days  farther,  the 
companion  said,  "  Now  we  are  soon  coming  to  the 
castle  where  she  is,  the  princess  of  whom  you  dreamt, 
and  when  we  get  there,  you  must  go  in  and  tell 
the  king  what  you  dreamt,  and  what  it  is  you  are 
seeking." 

So  when  they  reached  it  he  did  what  the  man  told 
him,  and  was  very  heartily  welcomed.  He  had  a 
room  for  himself,  and  another  for  his  companion, 
which  l\\ey  were  to  live  in,  and  when  dinner-time 
drew  near,  he  was  bidden  to  dine  at  the  king's  own 
board.  As  soon  as  ever  he  set  eyes  on  the  princess 
he  knew  her  at  once,  and  saw  it  was  she  of  whom 
he  had  dreamt  as  his  bride.  Then  he  told  her  his 
business,  and  she  answered  that  she  liked  him  well 
enough,  and  would  gladly  have  him ;  but  first  he 
must  undergo  three  trials.  So  when  they  had  dined 
she  gave  him  a  pair  of  golden  scissors,  and  said — 

"  The  first  proof  is  that  you  must  take  these  scissors 
and  keep  them,  and  give  them  to  me  at  mid-day  to- 
morrow. It  is  not  so  very  great  a  trial,  I  fancy,"  she 
said,  and  made  a  face,  "  but  if  you  can't  stand  it  you 
lose  your  life ;  it  is  the  law,  and  so  you  will  be  drawn 
and  quartered,  and  your  body  will  be  stuck  on  stakes, 
and  your  head  over  the  gate,  just  like  those  lovers  of 


The  Companion  j$ 

mine,  whose  skulls  and  skeletons  you  see  outside  the 
king's  castle." 

"That  is  no  such  great  art,"  thought  the  lad. 

But  the  princess  was  so  merry  and  mad,  and  flirted 
so  much  with  him,  that  he  forgot  all  about  the  scissors 
and  himself,  and  so  while  they  played  and  sported,  she 
stole  the  scissors  away  from  him  without  his  knowing 
it.  When  he  went  up  to  his  room  at  night,  and  told 
how  he  had  fared,  and  what  she  had  said  to  him,  and 
about  the  scissors  she  gave  him  to  keep,  the  companion 
said — 

"  Of  course  you  have  the  scissors  safe  and  sure  ?  " 

Then  he  searched  in  all  his  pockets,  but  there  were 
no  scissors,  and  the  lad  was  in  a  sad  way  when  he 
found  them  wanting. 

"  Well !  well !  "  said  the  companion  ;  "  I'll  see  if  I 
can't  get  you  them  again." 

With  that  he  went  down  into  the  stable,  and  there 
stood  a  big,  fat  Billygoat,  which  belonged  to  the 
princess,  and  it  was  of  that  breed  that  it  could  fly 
many  times  faster  through  the  air  than  it  could  run 
on  land.  So  he  took  the  Three-Sister  Sword,  and  gave 
it  a  stroke  between  the  horns,  and  said — 

"When  rides  the  princess  to  see  her  lover  to- 
night ?  " 

The  Billygoat  baaed,  and  said  it  dared  not  say,  but 
when  it  had  another  stroke,  it  said  the  princess  was 
coming  at  eleven  o'clock.  Then  the  companion  put 
on  the  Three-Sister  Hat,  and  all  at  once  he  became 
invisible,  and  so  he  waited  for  her.  When  she  came, 
she  took  and  rubbed  the  Billygoat  with  an  ointment 
which  she  had  in  a  great  horn,  and  said — 


76 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


"Away,  away,  o'er  roof-tree  and  steeple,  o'er  land, 
o'er  sea,  o'er  hill,  o'er  dale,  to  my  true  love  who  awaits 
me  in  the  fell  this  night." 

At  the  very  moment  that  the  goat  set  off,  the  com- 
panion threw  himself  on  behind,  and  away  they  went 
like  a  blast  through  the  air.     They  were  not  long  on 


the  way,  and  in  a  trice  they  came  to  a  crossfell.  There 
she  knocked,  and  so  the  goat  passed  through  the  fell  to 
the  Troll,  who  was  her  lover. 

"  Now,  my  dear,"  she  said,  "  a  new  lover  is  come, 
whose  heart  is  set  on  having  me.  He  is  young  and 
handsome,  but  I  will  have  no  other  than  you,"  and  so 
she  coaxed  and  petted  the  Troll. 

"  So  I  set  him  a  trial,  and  here  are  the  scissors  he 


The  Companion  jy 

Was  to  watch  and  keep ;  now  do  you  keep  them,"  she 
said. 

So  the  two  laughed  heartily,  just  as  though  they 
had  the  lad  already  on  wheel  and  stake. 

"  Yes !  yes  ! "  said  the  Troll ;  "  I'll  keep  them  safe 
enough." 

"  And  I  shall  sleep  on  the  bride's  white  arm, 
While  ravens  round  his  skeleton  swarm." 

And  so  he  laid  the  scissors  in  an  iron  chest  with 
three  locks;  but  just  as  he  dropped  them  into  the 
chest,  the  companion  snapped  them  up.  Neither  of 
them  could  see  him,  for  he  had  on  the  Three-Sister 
Hat ;  and  so  the  Troll  locked  up  the  chest  for  naught, 
and  he  hid  the  keys  he  had  in  the  hollow  eye-tooth  in 
which  he  had  the  toothache.  There  it  would  be  hard 
work  for  any  one  to  find  them,  the  Troll  thought. 

So  when  midnight  was  passed  she  set  off  home 
again.  The  companion  got  up  behind  the  goat,  and 
they  lost  no  time  on  the  way  back. 

Next  day,  about  noon,  the  lad  was  asked  down  to 
the  king's  board ;  but  then  the  princess  gave  herself 
such  airs,  and  was  so  high  and  mighty,  she  would 
scarce  look  towards  the  side  where  the  lad  sat.  After 
they  had  dined,  she  dressed  her  face  in  holiday  garb, 
and  said,  as  if  butter  wouldn't  melt  in  her  mouth — 

"  May  be  you  have  those  scissors  which  I  begged 
you  to  keep  yesterday  ?  " 

"Oh,  yes,  I  have,"  said  the  lad,  "and  here  they 
are,"  and  with  that  he  pulled  them  out,  and  drove 
them  into  the  board  till  it  jumped  again.  The 
princess   could   not   have   been   more   vexed   had   he 


yS  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

driven  the  scissors  into  her  face ;  but  for  all  that 
she  made  herself  soft  and  gentle,  and  said — 

"  Since  you  have  kept  the  scissors  so  well,  it  won't 
be  any  trouble  to  you  to  keep  my  golden  ball  of  yarn, 
and  take  care  you  give  it  me  to-morrow  at  noon ;  but 
if  you  have  lost  it,  you  shall  lose  your  life  on  the 
scaffold.     It  is  the  law." 

The  lad  thought  that  an  easy  thing,  so  he  took  and 
put  the  golden  ball  into  his  pocket.  But  she  fell  a- 
playing  and  flirting  with  him  again,  so  that  he  forgot 
both  himself  and  the  golden  ball,  and  while  they  were 
at  the  height  of  their  games  and  pranks,  she  stole  it 
from  him,  and  sent  him  off  to  bed. 

Then  when  he  came  up  to  his  bedroom,  and  told 
what  they  had  said  and  done,  his  companion  asked — 

"  Of  course  you  have  the  golden  ball  she  gave 
you?" 

"  Yes !  yes ! "  said  the  lad,  and  felt  in  his  pocket 
where  he  had  put  it ;  but  no,  there  was  no  ball  to 
be  found,  and  he  fell  again  into  such  an  ill  mood,  and 
knew  not  which  way  to  turn. 

"  Well !  well !  bear  up  a  bit,"  said  the  companion, 
"  I'll  see  if  I  can't  lay  hands  on  it ;  "  and  with  that  he 
took  the  sword  and  hat  and  strode  off  to  a  smith,  and 
got  twelve  pounds  of  iron  welded  on  to  the  back  of  the 
sword-blade.  Then  he  went  down  to  the  stable,  and 
gave  the  Billygoat  a  stroke  between  his  horns,  so  that 
the  brute  went  head  over  heels,  and  he  asked— 

"When  rides  the  princess  to  see  her  lover  to- 
night?" 

"At  twelve  o'clock,"  baaed  the  Billygoat. 

So   the   companion   put   on    the  Three-Sister  Hat 


The   Companion  79 

again,  and  waited  till  she  came,  tearing  along  with 
her  horn  of  ointment,  and  greased  the  Billygoat.  Then 
she  said,  as  she  had  said  the  first  time — 

"Away,  away,  o'er  roof- tree  and  steeple,  o'er  land, 
o'er  sea,  o'er  hill,  o'er  dale,  to  my  true  love  who 
awaits  me  in  the  fell  this  night." 

In  a  trice  they  were  off,  and  the  companion  threw 
himself  on  behind  the  Billygoat,  and  away  they  went 
like  a  blast  through  the  air.  In  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye  they  came  to  the  Troll's  hill,  and,  when  she  had 
knocked  three  times,  they  passed  through  the  rock  to 
the  Troll,  who  was  her  lover. 

"  Where  was  it  you  hid  the  golden  scissors  I  gave 
you  yesterday,  my  darling  ?  "  cried  out  the  princess. 
"  My  wooer  had  it  and  gave  it  back  to  me." 

"That  was  quite  impossible,"  said  the  Troll;  "for 
he  had  locked  it  up  in  a  chest  with  three  locks  and 
hidden  the  keys  in  the  hollow  of  his  eye-tooth."  But 
when  they  unlocked  the  chest  and  looked  for  it,  the 
Troll  had  no  scissors  in  his  chest. 

So  the  princess  told  him  how  she  had  given  her 
suitor  her  golden  ball. 

"And  here  it  is,"  she  said ;  "for  I  took  it  from  him 
again  without  his  knowing  it.  But  what  shall  we  hit 
upon  now,  since  he  is  master  of  such  craft  ?  " 

Well,  the  Troll  hardly  knew ;  but,  after  they  had 
thought  a  bit,  they  made  up  their  minds  to  light  a 
large  fire  and  burn  the  golden  ball ;  and  so  they  would 
be  cocksure  that  he  could  not  get  at  it.  But,  just  as 
she  tossed  it  into  the  fire,  the  companion  stood  ready 
and  caught  it ;  and  neither  of  them  saw  him,  tor  he 
had  on  the  Three-Sister  Hat. 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


When  the  princess  had  been  with  the  Troll  a  little 
while,  and  it  began  to  grow  towards  dawn,  she  set  off 
home  again,  and  the  companion  got  up  behind  her  on 
the  goat,  and  they  got  back  fast  and  safe. 


$&m 


Next  day,  when  the  lad  was  bidden  down  to  dinner, 
the  companion  gave  him  the  ball.  The  princess  was 
even  more  high  and  haughty  than  the  day  before, 
and,  after  they  had  dined,  she  perked  up  her  mouth, 
and  said  in  a  dainty  voice — 


The  Companion  81 

"  Perhaps  it  is  too  much  to  look  for  that  you  should 
give  me  back  my  golden  ball,  which  I  gave  you  to 
keep  yesterday  ?  " 

"  Is  it  ?  "  said  the  lad.  "  You  shall  soon  have  it. 
Here  it  is,  safe  enough ; "  and  as  he  said  that  he 
threw  it  down  on  the  board  so  hard,  that  it  shook 
again;  and  as  for  the  king,  he  gave  a  jump  high  up 
into  the  air. 

The  princess  got  as  pale  as  a  corpse,  but  she  soon 
came  to  herself  again,  and  said,  in  a  sweet,  small  voice — 

"  Well  done  !  well  done  !  "  Now  he  had  only  one 
more  trial  left,  and  it  was  this : 

"  If  you  are  so  clever  as  to  bring  me  what  I  am  now 
thinking  of  by  dinner-time  to-morrow,  you  shall  win 
me,  and  have  me  to  wife." 

That  was  what  she  said. 

The  lad  felt  like  one  doomed  to  death,  for  he  thought 
it  quite  impossible  to  know  what  she  was  thinking 
about,  and  still  harder  to  bring  it  to  her;  and  so,  when 
he  went  up  to  his  bedroom,  it  was  hard  work  to  com- 
fort him  at  all.  His  companion  told  him  to  be  easy, 
he  would  see  if  he  could  not  get  the  right  end  of  the 
stick  this  time  too,  as  he  had  done  twice  before.  So 
the  lad  at  last  took  heart,  and  lay  down  to  sleep. 

Meanwhile,  the  companion  went  to  the  smith  and  got 
twenty-four  pounds  of  iron  welded  on  to  his  sword ; 
and,  when  that  was  done,  he  went  down  to  the  stable 
and  let  fly  at  the  Billygoat  between  the  horns  with 
such  a  blow,  that  he  went  right  head  over  heels  against 
the  wall. 

"When  rides  the  princess  to  her  lover  to-night?" 
he  asked. 

F 


8  2  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"At  one  o'clock/'  baaed  the  Billygoat. 

So  when  the  hour  drew  near,  the  companion  stood 
in  the  stable  with  his  Three-Sister  Hat  on  ;  and,  when 
she  had  greased  the  goat,  and  uttered  the  same  words 
that  they  were  to  fly  through  the  air  to  her  true  love, 
who  was  waiting  for  her  in  the  fell,  off  they  went  again 
on  the  wings  of  the  wind ;  and,  all  the  while,  the  com- 
panion sat  behind. 

But  he  was  not  light-handed  this  time ;  for,  every 
now  and  then  he  gave  the  princess  a  slap,  so  that  he 
almost  beat  the  breath  out  of  her  body. 

And  when  they  came  to  the  wall  of  rock,  she  knocked 
at  the  door,  and  it  opened,  and  they  passed  on  into  the 
fell  to  her  lover. 

As  soon  as  she  got  there,  she  fell  to  bewailing,  and 
was  very  cross,  and  said  she  never  knew  the  air  could 
deal  such  buffets ;  she  almost  thought,  indeed,  that 
some  one  sat  behind,  who  beat  both  the  Billygoat  and 
herself;  she  was  sure  she  was  black  and  blue  all  over 
her  body,  such  a  hard  flight  had  she  had  through  the 
air. 

Then  she  went  on  to  tell  how  her  lover  had  brought 
her  the  golden  ball  too ;  how  it  happened,  neither  she 
nor  the  Troll  could  tell. 

"  But  now  do  you  know  what  I  have  hit  upon  ?  " 

No,  the  Troll  did  not. 

"  Well,"  she  went  on,  "  I  have  told  him  to  bring  me 
what  I  was  then  thinking  of  by  dinner-time  to-morrow, 
and  what  I  thought  of  was  your  head.  Do  you  think 
he  can  get  that,  my  darling  ?  "  said  the  princess,  and 
began  to  fondle  the  Troll. 

"  No,  I  don't  think  he  can,"  said  the  Troll.     "  He 


The  Companion 


83 


would  take  his  oath  he  couldn't ; "  and  then  the  Troll 
burst  out  laughing,  and  scunnered  worse  than  any- 
ghost,  and  both  the  princess  and  the  Troll  thought 
the  lad  would  be  drawn  and  quartered,  and  that  the 
crows  would  peck  out  his  eyes,  before  he  could  get  the 
Troll's  head. 

So  when  it  turned  towards  dawn,  she  had  to  set  off 


home  again ;  but  she  was  afraid,  she  said,  for  she 
thought  there  was  some  one  behind  her,  and  so  she 
was  afraid  to  ride  home  alone.  The  Troll  must  go 
with  her  on  the  way.  Yes,  the  Troll  would  go  with 
her,  and  he  led  out  his  Billygoat  (for  he  had  one 
that  matched  the  princess's),  and  he  smeared  it  and 
greased  it  between  the  horns.  And  when  the  Troll 
got   up,  the  companion   crept   on   behind,   and   so  off 


84  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

they  set  through  the  air  to  the  king's  grange.  But 
all  the  way  the  companion  thrashed  the  Troll  and 
his  Bilrygoat,  and  gave  them  cut  and  thrust  and 
thrust  and  cut  with  his  sword,  till  they  got  weaker 
and  weaker,  and  at  last  were  well  on  the  way  to 
sink  down  into  the  sea  over  which  they  passed. 
Now  the  Troll  thought  the  weather  was  so  wild, 
he  went  right  home  with  the  princess  up  to  the 
king's  grange,  and  stood  outside  to  see  that  she 
got  home  safe  and  well.  But  just  as  she  shut  the 
door  behind  her,  the  companion  struck  off  the  Troll's 
head  and  ran  up  with  it  to  the  lad's  bedroom. 

"  Here  is  what  the  princess  thought  of,"  said  he. 

Well,  they  were  merry  and  joyful,  one  may  think, 
and  when  the  lad  was  bidden  down  to  dinner,  and 
they  had  dined,  the  princess  was  as  lively  as  a  lark. 

''No  doubt  you  have  got  what  I  thought  of?"  said 
she. 

"Aye,  aye;  I  have  it,"  said  the  lad,  and  he  tore 
it  out  from  under  his  coat,  and  threw  it  down  on 
the  board  with  such  a  thump  that  the  board,  trestles 
and  all,  was  upset.  As  for  the  princess,  she  was 
as  though  she  had  been  dead  and  buried ;  but  she 
could  not  say  that  this  was  not  what  she  was  think- 
ing of,  and  so  now  he  was  to  have  her  to  wife,  as 
she  had  given  her  word.  So  they  made  a  bridal 
feast,  and  there  was  drinking  and  gladness  all  over 
the  kingdom. 

But  the  companion  took  the  lad  on  one  side,  and 
told  him  that  he  must  just  shut  his  eyes  and  sham 
sleep  on  the  bridal  night ;  but  if  he  held  his  life 
dear,    and    would    listen    to    him,    he    wouldn't    let   a 


H*yK.'6»\\T$ 


"  Aye,*aye  ;  I  have  it,'  said  the  lad. 


The  Companion  87 

wink  come  over  them  till  he  had  stripped  her  of 
her  troll-skin,  which  had  been  thrown  over  her,  but 
he  must  flog  it  off  her  with  a  rod  made  of  nine  new 
birch  twigs,  and  he  must  tear  it  off  her  in  three  tubs 
of  milk :  first  he  was  to  scrub  her  in  a  tub  of  year- 
old  whey,  and  then  he  was  to  scour  her  in  the 
tub  of  buttermilk,  and  lastly,  he  was  to  rub  her  in 
a  tub  of  new  milk.  The  birch  twigs  lay  under  the 
bed,  and  the  tubs  he  had  set  in  the  corner  of  the 
room.  Everything  was  ready  to  his  hand.  Yes ; 
the  lad  gave  his  word  to  do  as  he  was  bid,  and  to 
listen  to  him.  So  when  they  got  into  the  bridal 
bed  at  even,  the  lad  shammed  as  though  he  had 
given  himself  up  to  sleep.  Then  the  princess  raised 
herself  up  on  her  elbow  and  looked  at  him  to  see 
if  he  slept,  and  tickled  him  under  the  nose ;  but 
the  lad  slept  on  still.  Then  she  tugged  his  hair 
and  his  beard ;  but  he  lay  like  a  log,  as  she  thought. 
After  that  she  drew  out  a  big  butcher's  knife  from 
under  the  bolster,  and  was  just  going  to  hack  off 
his  head ;  but  the  lad  jumped  up,  dashed  the  knife 
out  of  her  hand,  and  caught  her  by  the  hair.  Then 
he  flogged  her  with  the  birch  rods,  and  wore  them 
out  upon  her  till  there  was  not  a  twig  left.  When 
that  was  over  he  tumbled  her  into  the  tub  of  whey, 
and  then  he  got  to  see  what  sort  of  beast  she  was : 
she  was  black  as  a  raven  all  over  her  body;  but 
when  he  scrubbed  her  well  in  the  whey,  and  scoured 
her  with  buttermilk,  and  rubbed  her  well  in  new 
milk,  her  troll-skin  dropped  off  her,  and  she  was 
fair  and  lovely  and  gentle ;  so  lovely  she  had  never 
looked  before. 


8  8  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

Next  day  the  companion  said  they  must  set  off  home. 
Yes;  the  lad  was  ready  enough,  and"  the  princess  too, 
for  her  dower  had  been  long  waiting.  In  the  night  the 
companion  fetched  to  the  king's  grange  all  the  gold  and 
silver  and  precious  things  which  the  Troll  had  left 
behind  him  in  the  fell,  and  when  they  were  ready  to 
start  in  the  morning  the  whole  grange  was  so  full  of 
silver,  and  gold,  and  jewels,  there  was  no  walking 
without  treading  on  them.  That  dower  was  worth 
more  than  all  the  king's  land  and  realm,  and  they  were 
at  their  wits'  end  to  know  how  to  carry  it  with  them. 
But  the  companion  knew  a  way  out  of  every  strait. 
The  Troll  left  behind  him  six  billygoats,  who  could 
all  fly  through  the  air.  Those  he  so  laded  with  silver 
and  gold  that  they  were  forced  to  walk  along  the 
ground,  and  had  no  strength  to  mount  aloft  and  fly, 
and  what  the  billygoats  could  not  carry  had  to  stay 
behind  in  the  king's  grange.  So  they  travelled  far 
and  farther  than  far,  but  at  last  the  biltygoats  got  so 
footsore  and  tired  they  could  not  go  another  step.  The 
lad  and  the  princess  knew  not  what  to  do ;  but  when 
the  companion  saw  they  could  not  get  on,  he  took  the 
whole  dower  on  his  back,  and  the  billygoats  a-top  of  it, 
and  bore  it  all  so  far  on  that  there  was  only  half  a  mile 
left  to  the  lad's  home. 

Then  the  companion  said,  "  Now  we  must  part.  I 
can't  stay  with  you  any  longer." 

But  the  lad  would  not  part  from  him,  he  would  not 
lose  him  for  much  or  little.  Well,  he  went  with  them 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  more,  but  farther  he  could  not  go, 
and  when  the  lad  begged  and  prayed  him  to  go  home 
and  stay  with  him  altogether,  or  at  least  as  long  as  they 


The  Companion  89 

had  drunk  his  home-coming  ale  in  his  father's  house, 
the  companion  said,  "  No.  That  could  not  be.  Now 
he  must  part,  for  he  heard  heaven's  bells  ringing  for 
him."  He  was  the  vintner  who  had  stood  in  the  block 
of  ice  outside  the  church  door,  whom  all  spat  upon  ; 
and  he  had  been  his  companion  and  helped  him  because 
he  had  given  all  he  had  to  get  him  peace  and  rest  in 
Christian  earth. 

"  I  had  leave,"  he  said,  "  to  follow  you  a  year,  and 
now  the  year  is  out." 

When  he  was  gone,  the  lad  laid  together  all  his 
wealth  in  a  safe  place,  and  went  home  without  any 
baggage.  Then  they  drank  his  home-coming  ale,  till 
the  news  spread  far  and  wide  over  seven  kingdoms, 
and  when  they  had  got  to  the  end  of  the  feast,  they 
had  carting  and  carrying  all  the  winter  both  with  the 
billygoats  and  the  twelve  horses  which  his  father  had 
before  they  got  all  that  gold  and  silver  safely  carted 
home. 


The   Shopboy  and  his  Cheese 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  shopboy  who  was 
so  well  liked  by  all  who  knew  him,  that  they 
thought  him  too  good  to  stand  behind  the 
counter  with  a  yard  measure,  and  weights  and  scales. 
So  they  made  up  their  minds  to  send  him  out  with 
a  venture  to  foreign  parts,  and  they  let  him  choose 
what  he  would  take  out.  He  chose  old  cheese,  and 
set  off  with  it  to  Turkey.  There  he  sold  his  cheeses 
very  well ;  but  as  he  was  on  his  way  home,  he  met 
two  who  had  slain  a  man,  and  it  was  not  enough 
that  they  had  slain  him  in  this  life,  but  they  ill-treated 
his  body  after  he  was  dead.  This  the  shopboy  could 
not  bear  to  see,  how  wickedly  they  behaved ;  so  he 
bought  the  body  of  them,  and  got  a  grave  with  his 


The  Shopboy  and  his  Cheese  91 

money,  and  buried  it,  and  then  he  had  spent  all  he 
had. 

After  a  long,  long  time,  he  got  safe  home,  and  was 
both  illcome  and  welcome.  Some  of  those  who  had 
helped  and  fitted  him  out  thought  he  had  done  a  good 
deed ;  but  others  were  ill-pleased  that  he  should  have 
so  thrown  away  his  money.  But  for  all  that  they  were 
ready  to  try  if  he  could  not  do  better  another  time,  so 
they  let  him  choose  his  lading  again.  He  chose  the 
same  freight,  and  took  the  same  way,  and  sold  his 
cheese  even  better  than  before.  But,  as  he  was  on 
his  way  home,  he  met  two  who  had  stolen  a  king's 
daughter,  and  they  had  put  harness  on  her,  and  had 
got  so  far  as  to  drive  her;  they  had  stripped  off  her 
clothes  to  the  waist,  and  one  went  on  either  side  of 
her  and  whipped  her.  The  lad's  heart  melted  at  this, 
for  she  was  a  lovely  lass.  So  he  asked  if  they  would 
sell  her.  Yes,  if  he  would  pay  down  her  weight  in 
silver  he  might  have  her,  and  there  was  no  long  bar- 
gaining: he  paid  all  they  asked. 

After  a  long,  long  time,  he  got  safe  home ;  but  those 
who  had  fitted  him  out  were  one  and  all  so  ill-pleased 
at  his  dealing,  that  they  banished  him  the  land.  So  he 
had  to  set  off  to  England.  There  he  stayed  for  four 
years  with  his  sweetheart,  and  the  way  they  got  their 
living  was  by  her  weaving  ribbons,  which  she  wove  so 
well  that  he  sold  two  s-hillings'  worth  a  day. 

One  day  he  met  two  who  were  foes,  and  one  wished 
to  thrash  the  other  because  he  owed  him  eighteenpence. 
That  seemed  to  the  lad  wrong,  and  he  paid  the  debt  for 
him.  Another  day  he  met  two  travellers,  who  began 
to  talk  with  him,  and  asked  if  he  had  anything  to  sell. 


9  2  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

11  Nothing  but  ribbons/'  he  said.  Well,  they  would 
have  three  shillings'  worth,  and  asked  him  where  he 
lived,  and  fixed  a  day  to  come  and  fetch  them ;  and 
when  the  day  came,  they  came  too,  and  lo !  when  they 
came,  if  one  of  them  was  not  the  princess's  brother, 
and  the  other  an  emperor's  son,  to  whom  she  was 
betrothed.  So  they  got  the  ribbons  for  which  they  had 
bargained,  and  wanted  to  take  her  home  with  them. 
But  she  wouldn't  go  unless  they  would  let  him  go  with 
them,  and  take  care  of  him ;  for  she  would  not  forsake 
the  man  who  had  freed  her,  so  long  as  she  had  breath 
in  her  body.  So  they  had  to  give  way  to  her  if  they 
were  to  take  her  at  all.  But  when  they  were  to  go  on 
board  ship,  the  brother  and  sister  went  first  into  the 
boat,  and  when  the  emperor's  son  was  to  get  into  her, 
he  shoved  her  off,  and  jumped  into  her  himself,  and 
so  the  lad  was  left  standing  on  the  shore.  The  ship 
lay  ready  for  sea,  and  they  sailed  as  soon  as  ever  they 
came  on  board.  But  then  up  came  the  man  for  whom 
the  lad  had  paid  eighteenpence,  in  a  boat  and  put  him 
on  board.  Then  the  princess  was  so  glad,  and  took  a 
gold  ring  off  her  finger  and  gave  it  to  him,  and  made 
him  go  down  into  the  cabin  where  she  lay. 

Well,  they  sa'led  many  days,  till  they  came  to  a 
desert  island,  where  they  landed  to  look  for  game,  and 
they  settled  things  so  that  the  brother,  and  the  Norse- 
man who  had  saved  the  princess's  life,  were  to  go  each 
on  his  side  of  the  island,  and  the  emperor's  son  in  the 
middle,  and  when  the  lad  was  well  gone,  so  that  they 
could  neither  see  him  nor  he  them,  they  got  on  board, 
and  he  was  left  to  walk  about  the  island  alone.  Then 
he  saw  there  was  no  help  for  it  but  to  stay  there;  and 


The  Shopboy  and  his  Cheese  93 

there  he  stayed  seven  years.  He  got  his  food  from 
a  fruit-bearing  tree  which  he  found,  and  when  the 
seven  j-ears  were  up,  an  old,  old  man  came  to  him  and 
said — 

"To-day  your  true  love  is  to  be  married.  They 
have  not  got  a  kind  word  out  of  her  these  seven  years, 
since  you  parted;  but  for  all  that  the  emperor's  son 
wants  to  marry  her,  for  that  he  knows  she  is  wise 
and  witty,  and  for  that  she  is  so  rich." 

After  that  the  man  asked  if  he  had  not  a  mind  to 
be  at  the  wedding.  So  he  said — well !  what  he  said 
any  one  can  guess,  but  he  saw  no  way  of  getting  there. 
But  lo !  in  a  little  while  there  he  stood  in  the  palace 
where  the  wedding  was  to  be.  Then  he  wanted  to 
know  what  kind  of  man  that  was  who  had  brought 
him  thither.  "  He  was  no  man,"  he  said,  "  but  a  spirit." 
He  it  was  whose  body  he  had  bought  and  buried  in 
Turkey. 

After  that,  he  gave  him  a  glass  and  a  bottle,  with 
wine  in  it,  and  told  him  to  send  some  one  in  with  a 
message  to  the  cook  to  come  out  to  him. 

"When  he  comes,  you  must  first  pour  out  a  glass 
and  drink  it  yourself;  and  then  another,  and  give  it  to 
the  cook ;  and  then  you  must  pour  out  a  third,  and  send 
it  to  the  bride ;  but  first  of  all  you  must  take  the  ring 
off  your  finger,  and  put  it  into  the  glass  which  you 
send  her." 

So  when  the  cook  came  in  with  the  glass,  they  all 
cried  out,  "She  mustn't  drink."  But  the  cook  said, 
"  First  he  drank,  and  then  I  drank,  so  she  may  very 
safely  drink  the  wine." 

And  when  she  drank  the  glass  out,  she  saw  the 


94 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


ring  that  lay  at  the  bottom,  and  ran  out,  and  as  soon 
as  she  got  outside  she  knew  him  again,  and  fell  on 
his  neck  and  kissed  him,  all  shaggy  as  he  was,  for 
you  may  fancy,  he  had  neither  lather  nor  razor  on 
his  beard  for  seven  years. 

But  now  the  king  came  after,  and  wanted  to  know 
the  meaning  of  all  this  fondling  be- 
tween them.     So  they  were  brought 
into  a    room,   and    told    the    whole 
story  from  first  to  last.     Then  the 
king   bade    them    go    and    fetch    a 
barber,   and  scrape  the  bristles  off 
him,  and  trim  him,  and  a  tailor  with 
a  new  court  dress,  and  then  the  king 
went  into  the  bridal  hall,  and  asked 
the  bridegroom,  that  emperor's  son, 
what  doom  should  be  passed 
on  one  who  had  robbed  a 
man  both  of  life  and  honour. 
He  answered,   "Such  a 
scoundrel  should  be  first  hanged  on  a  gallows,  and 
then  his  body  should  be  burnt  quick." 

So  he  was  taken  at  his  word,  and  suffered  the  doom 
that  he  uttered  over  himself,  and  the  shopboy  was 
wedded  to  the  king's  daughter,  and  lived  both  long 
and  luckily. 


Peik 


NCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  man, 
and  he  had  a  wife;  they  had  a 
son  and  a  daughter  who  were 
twins,  and  they  were  so  like,  no 
one  could  tell  the  one  from  the 
other  by  anything  else  than  their 
clothing.  The  boy  they  called 
Peik.  He  was  of  little  good 
while  his  father  and  mother 
lived,  for  he  had  no  mood  to  do  aught  else  than  to 
befool  folk,  and  he  was  so  full  of  tricks  and  pranks 
that  no  one  could  be  at  peace  for  him ;  but  when  they 
were  dead  it  got  worse  and  worse,  he  wouldn't  turn  his 
hand  to  anything ;  all  he  would  do  was  to  squander 
what  they  left  behind  them,  and  as  for  his  neighbours 
he  fell  out  with  all  of  them.  His  sister  toiled  and 
moiled  all  she  could,  but  it  helped  little ;  so  at  last  she 
said  to  him  how  silly  this  was  that  he  would  do  naught 
for  the  house,  and  ended  by  asking  him — 

"What   shall  we  have   to  live  on  when  you  have 
wasted  everything  ?  " 

"Oh,  I'll  go  out  and  befool  somebody,"  said  Peik. 
"Yes,    Peik,    I'll    be    bound    you'll    do    that    soon 
enough,"  said  his  sister. 


96 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


"Well,  I'll  try,"  said  Peik. 

So  at  last  they  had  nothing  more,  for  there  was  an 
end  of  everything;  and  Peik  trotted  off,  and  walked 


<*%*. 


and  walked  till  he  came  to  the  King's  Grange.  There 
stood  the  King  in  the  porch,  and  as  soon  as  he  set 
eyes  on  the  lad,  he  said — 


Peik  97 

"  Whither  away  to-da}',  Peik  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  was  going  out  to  see  if  I  could  befool  any- 
body," said  Peik. 

"  Can't  you  befool  me,  now  ?  "  said  the  King. 

"No,  I'm  sure  I  can't,"  said  Peik,  "for  I've  for- 
gotten my  fooling  rods  at  home." 

"  Can't  you  go  and  fetch  them  ? "  said  the  King, 
"  for  I  should  be  very  glad  to  see  if  you  are  such  a 
trickster  as  folks  say." 

"I've  no  strength  to  walk,"  said  Peik. 

"  I'll  lend  you  a  horse  and  saddle,"  said  the  King. 

'"  But  I  can't  ride  either,"  said  Peik. 

"Then  we'll  lift  you  up,"  said  the  King;  "then 
you'll  be  able  to  stick  on." 

Well,  Peik  stood  and  clawed  and  scratched  his 
head,  as  though  he  would  pull  the  hair  off,  and  let 
them  lift  him  up  into  the  saddle,  and  there  he  sat 
swinging  this  side  and  that  so  long  as  the  King  could 
see  him,  and  the  King  laughed  till  the  tears  came 
into  his  eyes,  for  such  a  tailor  on  horseback  he  had 
never  before  seen.  But  when  Peik  was  come  well 
into  the  wood  behind  the  hill,  so  that  he  was  out  of 
the  King's  sight,  he  sat  as  though  he  were  nailed  to 
the  horse,  and  off  he  rode  as  though  he  had  stolen 
both  steed  and  bridle,  and  when  he  got  to  the  town 
he  sold  both  horse  and  saddle. 

All  the  while  the  King  walked  up  and  down,  and 
loitered  and  waited  for  Peik  to  come  tottering  back 
again  with  his  fooling  rods;  and  every  now  and  then 
he  laughed  when  he  called  to  mind  how  wretched 
he  looked  as  he  sat  swinging  about  on  the  horse  like 
a  sack  of  corn,  not  knowing  on  which  side  to  fall  off; 

G 


98 


Tales  from  the  F:eld 


but  this  lasted  for  seven  lengths  and  seven  breadths 
and  no  Peik  came,  and  so  at  last  the  King  saw  that 
he  was  fooled  and  cheated  out  of  his  horse  and  saddle, 
even  though  Peik  had  not  his  fooling  rods  with  him. 
And  so  there  was  another  story,  for  the  King  got 
wroth,  and  was  all  for  setting  off  to  kill  Peik. 

But  Peik  had   found   out   the  day  he   was   coming, 


and  told  his  sister  she  must  put  on  tne  big  boiler, 
with  a  drop  of  water  in  it.  But  just  as  the  King 
came  in  Peik  dragged  the  boiler  off  the  fire  and  ran 
off  with  it  to  the  chopping-block  and  so  boiled  the 
porridge  on  the  block. 

The  King  wondered  at  that,  and  wondered  on  and 
on  so  much  that  he  clean  fo.got  what  brought  him 
there. 


Peik  99 

"What  do  you  want  for  that  pot ?"  said  he. 

"  I  can't  spare  it,"  said  Peik. 

"  Why  not  ?  "  said  the  King ;  "  I'll  pay  what  you 
ask." 

"  No,  no!"  said  Peik.  "It  saves  me  time  and  money, 
wood  hire  and  chopping  hire,  carting  and  carrying." 

"Never  mind,"  said  the  King,  "I'll  give  you  a 
hundred  dollars.  It's  true  you've  fooled  me  out  of 
a  horse  and  saddle,  and  bridle  besides,  but  all  that 
shall  go  for  nothing  if  I  can  only  get  the  pot." 

"  Well !  if  you  must  have  it  you  must,"  said  Peik. 

When  the  King  got  home  he  asked  guests  and  made 
a  feast,  but  the  meat  was  to  be  boiled  in  the  new  pot, 
and  so  he  took  it  up  and  set  it  in  the  middle  of  the 
floor.  The  guests  thought  the  King  had  lost  his  wits, 
and  went  about  elbowing  one  another,  and  laughing 
at  him.  But  he  walked  round  and  round  the  pot,  and 
cackled  and  chattered,  saying  all  in  a  breath — 

"  Well,  well !  bide  a  bit,  bide  a  bit !  'twill  boil  in  a 
minute." 

But  there  was  no  boiling.  So  he  saw  that  Peik  had 
been  out  again  with  his  fooling  rods  and  cheated  him, 
and  now  he  would  set  off  at  once  and  slay  him. 

When  the  King  came,  Peik  stood  out  by  the  barn 
door.     "  Wouldn't  it  boil  ?  "  he  asked. 

"No,  it  would  not,"  said  the  King;  "but  now  you 
shall  smart  for  it,"  and  so  he  was  just  going  to  un- 
sheath  his  knife. 

"  I  can  well  believe  that,"  said  Peik,  "  for  you  did 
not  take  the  block  too." 

"I  wish  I  thought,''  said  the  King,  "you  weren't 
telling  me  a  pack  of  lies." 


I  oo  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"  I  tell  you  it's  all  because  of  the  block  it  stands  on ; 
it  won't  boil  without  it,"  said  Peik. 

"  Well,  what  did  he  want  for  it  ?  "  It  was  well 
worth  three  hundred  dollars ;  but  for  the  King's  sake 
it  should  go  for  two.  So  he  got  the  block  and  travelled 
home  with  it,  and  bade  guests  again,  and  made  a  feast, 
and  set  the  pot  on  the  chopping-block  in  the  middle  of 
the  room.  The  guests  thought  he  was  both  daft  and 
mad,  and  they  went  about  making  game  of  him,  while 
he  cackled  and  chattered  round  the  pot,  calling  out, 
"  Bide  a  bit !  now  it  boils  !  now  it  boils  in  a  trice." 

But  it  wouldn't  boil  a  bit  more  on  the  block  than  on 
the  bare  floor.  So  he  saw  again  that  Peik  had  been 
out  with'  his  fooling  rods  this  time  too.  Then  he 
fell  a-tearing  his  hair,  and  swore  he  would  set  off  at 
once  and  slay  him.  He  wouldn't  spare  him  this  time, 
whether  he  put  a  good  or  a  bad  face  on  it. 

But  Peik  had  taken  steps  to  meet  him  again.  He 
slaughtered  a  wether  and  caught  the  blood  in  the 
bladder,  and  stuffed  it  into  his  sister's  bosom,  and 
told  her  what  to  say  and  do. 

"Where's  Peik!"  screeched  out  the  King.  He  was 
in  such  a  rage  that  his  tongue  faltered. 

"  He  is  so  poorly  that  he  can't  stir  hand  or  foot," 
she  said,  "and  now  he's  trying  to  get  a  nap." 

"  Wake  him  up,"  said  the  King. 

"  Nay,  I  daren't ;  he  is  so  hasty,"  said  the  sister. 

"Well!  I'm  hastier  still,"  said  the  King,  "and  if 
you  don't  wake  him,  I  will,"  and  with  that  he  tapped 
his  side  where  his  knife  hung. 

"Well!  she  would  go  and  wake  him;"  but  Peik 
turned  hastily  in  his  bed,  drew  out  a  little  knife,  and 


Peik 


IOI 


ripped  open  the  bladder  in  her  bosom,  so  that  a  stream 
of  blood  gushed  out,  and  down  she  fell  on  the  floor  as 
though  she  were  dead. 

"What  a  daredevil  you  are,  Peik!"  said  the  King, 
"if  you  haven't  stabbed  your  sister  to  death,  and  here 
I  stood  by  and  saw  it  with  my  own  eyes  !  " 

"There's  no  risk  with  her  body  so  long  as  there's 
breath  in  my  nostrils ;  "  and  with  that  he  pulled  out  a 


ram's-horn  and  began  to  toot  upon  it,  and  when  he  had 
tooted  a  bridal  tune,  he  put  the  end  to  her  body,  and 
blew  life  into  her  again,  and  up  she  rose  as  though 
there  was  naught  the  matter  with  her. 

"  Bless  me,  Peik  !  can  you  kill  folk  and  blow  life  into 
them  again  ?     Can  you  do  that  ?  "  said  the  King. 

Why!  "  said  Peik,  "how  could  I  get  on  at  all  if  I 
couldn't?  I'm  always  killing  every  one  I  come  near; 
don't  you  know  I'm  very  hasty  ?  " 


102 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


"So  am  I  hot-tempered,"  said  the  King,  "and  that 
horn  I  must  have.  I'll  give  you  a  hundred  dollars  for  it, 
and  besides  I'll  forgive  you  for  cheating  me  out  of  my 
horse,  and  for  fooling  me  about  the  pot  and  the  block, 
and  all  else." 

Peik  was  very  loth  to  part  with  it,  but  for  his  sake 
he  would  let  him  have  it ;  and  so  the  King  went  off 
home  with  it,  and  he  had  hardly  got  back  before  he 


must  try  it.  So  he  fell  a-wrangling  and  quarrelling 
with  the  Queen  and  his  eldest  daughter,  and  they  paid 
him  back  in  the  same  coin ;  but  before  they  knew  a 
word  about  it,  he  whipped  out  his  knife  and  cut  their 
throats,  so  that  they  fell  down  stone  dead,  and  every 
one  else  ran  out  of  the  room,  they  were  so  afraid. 

The  King  walked  and  paced  about  the  floor  for  a 
while,  and  kept  chattering  that  there  was  no  harm  done 
so  long  as  there  was  breath  in  him,  and  a  pack  of  such 


Peik  103 

stuff  which  had  flowed  out  of  Peik's  mouth,  and  then 
he  pulled  out  the  horn  and  began  to  blow  "  Toot-i-too, 
Toot-i-too,"  but  though  he  blew  and  tooted  as  hard  as  he 
could  all  that  day  and  the  next  too,  he  couldn't  blow 
life  into  them  again.  Dead  they  were,  and  dead  they 
stayed,  both  the  Queen  and  his  daughter,  and  he  was 
forced  to  buy  graves  for  them  in  the  churchyard,  and 
to  spend  money  on  their  funeral  ale  into  the  bargain. 

So  he  must  and  would  go  and  cut  Peik  off;  but  Peik 
had  his  spies  out,  and  knew  when  the  King  was  coming, 
and  then  he  said  to  his  sister — 

"Now  you  must  change  clothes  with  me  and  set 
off.  If  you  will  do  that,  you  may  have  all  we  have 
got." 

Well,  she  changed  clothes  with  him,  and  packed  up 
and  started  off  as  fast  as  she  could  ;  but  Peik  sat  all 
alone  in  his  sister's  clothes. 

"  Where  is  that  Peik  ?  "  said  the  King  as  he  came 
in  a  towering  rage  through  the  door. 

"  He  has  run  away,"  said  Peik. 

"Ah!  had  he  been  at  home,"  said  the  King,  "I'd 
have  slain  him  on  the  spot.  It's  no  good  sparing  the 
life  of  such  a  rogue." 

"  Yes  !  he  knew  by  his  spies  that  your  Majesty  was 
coming,  and  was  going  to  take  his  life  for  his  wicked 
tricks;  but  he  has  left  me  all  alone  without  a  morsel  of 
bread  or  a  penny  in  my  purse,"  said  Peik,  who  made 
himself  as  soft  and  mealy-mouthed  as  a  young  lady. 

"  Come  along,  then,  to  the  King's  Grange,  and  you 
shall  have  enough  to  live  on.  There's  no  good  sitting 
here  and  starving  in  this  cabin  by  yourself,"  said  the 
King. 


104 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


Yes !  he  was  glad  to  do  that ;  so  the  King  took 
him  with  him,  and  had  him  taught  everything,  and 
treated  him  as  his  own  daughter,  and  it  was  almost 
as  if  the  King  had  his  three  daughters  again,  for 
Miss  Peik  sewed  and  stitched,  and  sung  and  played 
with  the  others,  and  was  with  them  early  and  late. 

After  a  time  a  king's  son  came  to  look  for  a  wife. 


"Yes!  I  have  three  daughters,"  said  the  King;  "it 
rests  with  you  which  you  will  have." 

So  he  got  leave  to  go  up  to  their  bower  to  make 
friends  with  them,  and  the  end  was  that  he  liked 
Miss  Peik  best,  and  threw  a  silk  kerchief  into  her 
lap  as  a  love  token.  So  they  set  to  work  to  get 
ready  the  bridal  feast,  and  in  a  little  while  his  kins- 
folk came,  and  the  King's  men,  and  they  all  fell  to 
feasting  and  drinking  on  the  bridal  eve;  but  as  night 
was  falling   Miss    Peik   daren't   stay  longer,   but  ran 


Peik  105 

away  from  the  King's  Grange,  out  into  the  wide 
world,  and  the  bride  was  lost. 

The  King  got  both  wroth  and  sorrowful,  and  began 
to  wonder  if  it  wasn't  Peik  again  that  had  a  finger  in 
this  pie. 

So  he  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  out,  for  he 
thought  it  dull  work  staying  at  home ;  but  when  he 
got  out  among  the  ploughed  fields,  there  sat  Peik  on 
a  stone  playing  on  a  Jew's  harp. 

"What !  are  you  sitting  there,  Peik  ?  "  said  the  King, 

"  Here  I  sit,  sure  enough,"  said  Peik ;  "  where  else 
should  I  sit  ?  " 

"  Now  3'ou  have  cheated  me  foully  time  after  time," 
said  the  King,  "  but  now  you  must  come  along  home 
with  me,  and  I'll  kill  you." 

"Well,  well!"  said  Peik,  "if  it  can't  be  helped  it 
can't ;   I  suppose  I  must  go  along  with  you." 

When  they  got  home  to  the  King's  Grange  they 
got  ready  a  cask  which  Peik  was  to  be  put  in,  and 
when  it  was  ready  they  carted  it  up  to  a  high  fell ; 
there  he  was  to  lie  three  days  thinking  on  all  the 
evil  he  had  done,  then  they  were  to  roll  him  down 
the  fell  into  the  firth. 

The  third  day  a  rich  man  passed  by,  but  Peik  sat 
inside  the  cask  and  sang — 

"  To  heaven's  bliss  and  Paradise, 
To  heaven's  bliss  and  Paradise." 

"  I'd  sooner  far  stay  here  and  not  be  made  an 
angel." 

When  the  man  heard  that,  he  asked  what  he  would 
take  to  change  places  with  him. 


io6  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"It  ought  to  be  a  good  sum,"  said  Peik,  "for  there 
wasn't  a  coach  ready  to  start  for  Paradise  every  day." 

So  the  man  said  he  would  give  all  he  had ;  and  so 
he  knocked  out  the  head  of  the  cask  and  crept  into  it 
instead  of  Peik. 

"  A  happy  journey ! "  said  the  King  when  he  came 
to  roll  him  down  ;  "  now  you'll  go  faster  to  the  firth 
than  if  you  were  in  a  sledge  with  reindeer;  and  now 
it's  all  over  with  you  and  your  fooling  rods." 

Before  the  cask  was  half-way  down  the  fell,  there 
wasn't  a  whole  stave  of  it  left,  nor  a  limb  of  him  who 
was  inside.  But  when  the  King  came  back  to  the 
Grange,  Peik  was  there  before  him,  and  sat  in  the 
courtyard  playing  on  the  Jew's  harp. 

"  What !  you  sitting  here,  you,  Peik  ?  " 

"Yes  !  here  I  sit,  sure  enough  ;  where  else  should  I 
sit  ?  "  said  Peik.  "  Maybe  I  can  get  house-room  here 
for  all  my  horses  and  sheep  and  money." 

"  But  whither  was  it  that  I  rolled  you  that  you  got 
all  this  wealth  ?"  asked  the  King. 

"Oh,  you  rolled  me  into  the  firth,"  said  Peik,  "and 
when  I  got  to  the  bottom  there  was  more  than  enough 
and  to  spare,  both  of  horses  and  sheep  and  of  gold 
and  silver.  The  cattle  went  about  in  great  flocks,  and 
the  gold  and  silver  lay  in  large  heaps  as  big  as  houses." 

"What  will  you  take  to  roll  me  down  the  same 
way  ?  "  asked  the  King. 

"Oh,"  said  Peik,  "it  costs  little  or  nothing  to  do  it. 
Besides,  you  took  nothing  from  me,  and  so  I'll  take 
nothing  from  you  either." 

So  he  stuffed  the  King  into  a  cask  and  rolled  him 
over,  and  when  he  had  given   him  a  ride  down  to 


Perk  107 

the  firth  for  nothing,  he  went  home  to  the  King's 
Grange.  Then  he  began  to  hold  his  bridal  feast  with 
the  youngest  princess,  and  afterwards  he  ruled  both 
land  and  realm,  but  he  kept  his  fooling  rods  to  him- 
self, and  kept  them  so  well  that  nothing  was  ever  after- 
wards heard  of  Peik  and  his  tricks,  but  only  of  "  OUR 
SELF  THE  KING." 


Death  and   the   Doctor 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  lad  who  had  lived 
as  a  servant  a  long  time  with  a  man  of  the 
North  Country.  This  man  was  a  master  at 
ale-brewing;  it  was  so  out-of-the-way  good  the  like 
of  it  was  not  to  be  found.  So,  when  the  lad  was  to 
leave  his  place  and  the  man  was  to  pay  him  the  wages 
he  had  earned,  he  would  take  no  other  pay  than  a  keg 
of  Yule-ale.  Well,  he  got  it  and  set  off  with  it,  and  he 
carried  it  both  far  and  long,  but  the  longer  he  carried 
the  keg  the  heavier  it  got,  and  so  he  began  to  look 
about  to  see  if  any  one  were  coming  with  whom  he 
might  have  a  drink,  that  the  ale  might  lessen  and  the 
keg  lighten.  And  after  a  long,  long  time,  he  met  an 
old  man  with  a  big  beard. 

"  Good  day,"  said  the  man. 

"  Good  day  to  you,"  said  the  lad. 

"  Whither  away  ?  "  asked  the  man. 

"  I'm  looking  after  some  one  to  drink  with,  and  get 
my  keg  lightened,"  said  the  lad. 

"Can't  you  drink  as  well  with  me  as  with  any  one 
else  ? "  said  the  man.  "  I  have  fared  both  far  and 
wide,  and  I  am  both  tired  and  thirsty." 

"  Well !  why  shouldn't  I  ?  "  said  the  lad ;  "  but  tell 

10S 


Death  and  the  Doctor  109 

me,  whence  do  you  come,  and  what  sort  of  man  are 


you 


?» 


"I  am  ' Our  Lord,'  and  come  from  Heaven,"  said 
the  man. 

"  Thee  will  I  not  drink  with,"  said  the  lad ;  "  for  thou 
makest  such  distinction  between  persons  here  in  the 
world,  and  sharest  rights  so  unevenly  that  some  get 
so  rich  and  some  so  poor.  No !  with  thee  I  will  not 
drink,"  and  as  he  said  this  he  trotted  off  with  his  keg 
again. 

So  when  he  had  gone  a  bit  farther  the  keg  grew 
too  heavy  again ;  he  thought  he  never  could  carry  it 
any  longer  unless  some  one  came  with  whom  he  might 
drink,  and  so  lessen  the  ale  in  the  keg.  Yes !  he  met 
an  ugly,  scrawny  man  who  came  along  fast  and  furious. 

"  Good  day,"  said  the  man. 

"  Good  day  to  you,"  said  the  lad. 

"  Whither  away  ?  "  asked  the  man. 

"  Oh,  I'm  looking  for  some  one  to  drink  with,  and 
get  my  keg  lightened,"  said  the  lad. 

"  Can't  you  drink  with  me  as  well  as  with  any  one 
else  ?  "  said  the  man  ;  "  I  have  fared  both  far  and  wide, 
and  I  am  tired  and  thirsty." 

"  Well,  why  not  ?  "  said  the  lad ;  "  but  who  are  you, 
and  whence  do  you  come  ?  " 

"  Who  am  I  ?  I  am  the  De'il,  and  I  come  from 
Hell ;  that's  where  I  come  from,"  said  the  man. 

"  No  !  "  said  the  lad  ;  "  thou  only  pinest  and  plaguest 
poor  folk,  and  if  there  is  any  unhappiness  astir,  they 
always  say  it  is  thy  fault.     Thee  I  will  not  drink  with." 

So  he  went  far  and  farther  than  far  again  with  his 
ale-keg  on  his  back,  till  he  thought  it  grew  so  heavy 


I  10 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


there  was  no  carrying  it  any  farther.  He  began  to  look 
round  again  if  any  one  were  coming  with  whom  he 
could  drink  and  lighten  his  keg.     So  after  a  long,  long 


O.J& 


J 


time,  another  man  came,  and  he  was  so  dry  and  lean 
'twas  a  wonder  his  bones  hung  together. 

"  Good  day,"  said  the  man. 

"  Good  day  to  you,"  said  the  lad. 

"Whither  away?"  asked  the  man. 

"  Oh,  I  was  only  looking  about  to  see  if  I  could  find 


Death  and  the  Doctor  1 1 1 

some  one  to  drink  with,  that  my  keg  might  be  lightened 
a  little,  it  is  so  heavy  to  carry." 

"  Can't  you  drink  as  well  with  me  as  with  any  one 
else  ?  "  said  the  man. 

"  Yes ;  why  not  ?  "  said  the  lad.  "  But  what  sort  of 
man  are  you  ?  " 

"They  call  me  Death,"  said  the  man. 

"  The  very  man  for  my  money,"  said  the  lad.  '■  Thee 
I  am  glad  to  drink  with,"  and  as  he  said  this  he 
put  down  his  keg,  and  began  to  tap  the  ale  into  a 
bowl.  "Thou  art  an  honest,  trustworthy  man,  for 
thou  treatest  all  alike,  both  rich  and  poor." 

So  he  drank  his  health,  and  Death  drank  his  health, 
and  Death  said  he  had  never  tasted  such  drink,  and 
as  the  lad  was  fond  of  him,  they  drank  bowl  and 
bowl  about,  till  the  ale  was  lessened,  and  the  keg  grew 
light. 

At  last  Death  said,  "  I  have  never  known  drink 
which  smacked  better,  or  did  me  so  much  good  as  this 
ale  that  you  have  given  me,  and  I  scarce  know  what 
to  give  you  in  return."  But,  after  he  had  thought 
awhile,  he  said  the  keg  should  never  get  empty,  how- 
ever much  they  drank  out  of  it,  and  the  ale  that  was 
in  it  should  become  a  healing  drink,  by  which  the 
lad  could  make  the  sick  whole  again  better  than  any 
doctor.  And  he  also  said  that  when  the  lad  came  into 
the  sick  man's  room,  Death  would  always  be  there,  and 
show  himself  to  him,  and  it  should  be  to  him  for  a 
sure  token  if  he  saw  Death  at  the  foot  of  the  bed  that 
he  could  cure  the  sick  with  a  draught  from  the  keg; 
but  if  he  sat  by  the  pillow,  there  was  no  healing  nor 
medicine,  for  then  the  sick  belonged  to  Death. 


112  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

Well,  the  lad  soon  grew  famous,  and  was  called  in 
far  and  near,  and  he  helped  many  to  health  again  who 
had  been  given  over.  When  he  came  in  and  saw  how 
Death  sat  by  the  sick  man's  bed,  he  foretold  either 
life  or  death,  and  his  foretelling  was  never  wrong.  He 
got  both  a  rich  and  powerful  man,  and  at  last  he  was 
called  in  to  a  king's  daughter  far,  far  away  in  the 
world.  She  was  so  dangerously  ill  no  doctor  thought 
he  could  do  her  any  good,  and  so  they  promised  him  all 
that  he  cared  either  to  ask  or  have  if  he  would  only 
save  her  life. 

Now,  when  he  came  into  the  princess's  room,  there 
sat  Death  at  her  pillow ;  but  as  he  sat  he  dozed  and 
nodded,  and  while  he  did  this  she  felt  herself  better. 

"Now,  life  or  death  is  at  stake,"  said  the  doctor; 
"  and  I  fear,  from  what  I  see,  there  is  no  hope." 

But  they  said  he  must  save  her,  if  it  cost  land  and 
realm.  So  he  looked  at  Death,  and  while  he  sat  there 
and  dozed  again,  he  made  a  sign  to  the  servants  to 
turn  the  bed  round  so  quickly  that  Death  was  left 
sitting  at  the  foot,  and  at  the  very  moment  they  turned 
the  bed,  the  doctor  gave  her  the  draught,  and  her  life 
was  saved. 

"  Now  you  have  cheated  me,"  said  Death,  "  and  we 
are  quits." 

"  I  was  forced  to  do  it,"  said  the  doctor,  "  unless  i 
wished  to  lose  land  and  realm." 

"That  shan't  help  you  much,"  said  Death;  "your 
time  is  up,  for  now  you  belong  to  me." 

"  Well,"  said  the  lad,  "  what  must  be  must  be ;  but 
you'll  let  me  have  time  to  read  the  Lord's  Prayer 
first  ?  " 


nnces^ 


1  There  sat  Death  at  her  pillow. 


Death  and  the  Doctor  1 1 5 

Yes,  he  might  have  leave  to  do  that ;  but  he  took 
very  good  care  not  to  read  the  Lord's  Prayer ;  every- 
thing else  he  read,  but  the  Lord's  Prayer  never  crossed 
his  lips,  and  at  last  he  thought  he  had  cheated  Death 
for  good  and  all.  But  when  Death  thought  he  had 
really  waited  too  long,  he  went  to  the  lad's  house 
one  night,  and  hung  up  a  great  tablet  with  the  Lord's 
Prayer  painted  on  it  over  against  his  bed.  So  when 
the  lad  woke  in  the  morning  he  began  to  read  the 
tablet,  and  did  not  quite  see  what  he  was  about  till 
he  came  to  Amen;  but  then  it  was  just  too  late,  and 
Death  had  him. 


The  Way  of  the  World 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  man  who  went  into 
the  wood  to  cut   hop-poles,  but  he   could  find 
no  trees  so  long  and   straight  and  slender  as 
he  wanted,  till  he  came  high  up  under  a  great  heap 
of   stones.     There    he    heard    groans    and    moans    as 
though  some  one  were  at  Death's  door.     So  he  went 

up  to  see  who  it  was 
that  needed  help, 
and  then  heheard 
that  the  noise 
came  from  under 
a  great  flat  stone 
which  lay  upon 
the  heap.  It  was  so 
heavy  it  would  have 
taken  many  a  man  to 
lift  it.  But  the  man 
went  down  again  into 
the  wood  and  cut  down 
a  tree,  which  he  turned  into  a  lever,  and  with  that  he 
tilted  up  the  stone,  and  lo  !  out  from  under  it  crawled 
a  Dragon,  and  made  at  the  man  to  swallow  him  up. 
But  the  man  said  he  had  saved  the  Dragon's  life,  and 


The  Way  of  the  World  1 1 7 

it  was  shameful  thanklessness  in  him  to  want  to  eat 
him  up. 

"  May  be,"  said  the  Dragon,  "  but  you  might  very 
well  know  I  must  be  starved  when  I  have  been  here 
hundreds  of  years  and  never  tasted  meat.  Besides, 
it's  the  way  of  the  world — that's  how  it  pays  its 
debts. ' 

The  man  pleaded  his  cause  stoutly,  and  begged 
prettily  for  his  life ;  and  at  last  they  agreed  to  take 
the  first  living  thing  that  came  for  a  daysman,  and 
if  his  doom  went  the  other  way  the  man  should  not 
lose  his  life,  but  if  he  said  the  same  as  the  Dragon,  the 
Dragon  should  eat  the  man. 

The  first  thing  that  came  was  an  old  hound,  who 
ran  along  the  road  down  below  under  the  hillside. 
Him  they  spoke  to,  and  begged  him  to  be  judge. 

"  God  knows,"  said  the  hound,  "  I  have  served  my 
master  truly  ever  since  I  was  a  little  whelp.  I  have 
watched  and  watched  many  and  many  a  night  through 
while  he  lay  warm  asleep  on  his  ear,  and  I  have  saved 
house  and  home  from  fire  and  thieves  more  than  once ; 
but  now  I  can  neither  see  nor  hear  any  more,  and  he 
wants  to  shoot  me.  And  so  I  must  run  away,  and 
slink  from  house  to  house,  and  beg  for  my  living  till  I 
die  of  hunger.  No  !  it's  the  way  of  the  world,"  said 
the  hound  ;  "  that's  how  it  pays  its  debts." 

"  Now  I  am  coming  to  eat  you  up,"  said  the  Dragon, 
and  tried  to  swallow  the  man  again.  But  the  man 
begged  and  prayed  hard  for  his  life,  till  they  agreed 
to  take  the  next  comer  for  a  judge;  and  if  he  said 
the  same  as  the  Dragon  and  the  hound,  the  Dragon 
was  to  eat  him,  and  get  a  meal  of  man's  meat ;  but  if 


n8 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


he  did  not  say  so,  the  man  was  to  get  off  with  his 
life. 

So  there  came  an  old  horse  limping  down  along 
the  road  which  ran  under  the  hill.  Him  they  called 
out  to  come  and  settle  the  dispute.  Yes;  he  was  quite 
ready  to  do  that. 

"Now,  I  have  served  my  master,"  said  the  horse, 
"as  long  as  I  could  draw  or  carry.  I  have  slaved  and 
striven  for  him  till  the  sweat  trickled  from  every  hair, 


and  I  have  worked  till  I  have  grown  lame,  and  halt, 
and  worn  out  with  toil  and  age;  now  I  am  fit  for 
nothing.  I  am  not  worth  my  food,  and  so  I  am  to 
have  a  bullet  through  me,  he  says.  Nay !  nay  S  It's 
the  way  of  the  world.  That's  how  the  world  pays  its 
debts." 

"Well,  now  I'm  coming  to  eat  you,"  said  the  Dragon, 
who  gaped  wide,  and  wanted  to  swallow  the  man.  But 
he  begged  again  hard  for  his  life. 

But  the  Dragon  said  he  must  have  a  mouthful  of 


The  Way  of  the  World  1 1 9 

man's  meat;  he  was  so  hungry,  he  couldn't  bear  it  any 
longer. 

"  See,  yonder  comes  one  who  looks  as  if  he  was 
sent  to  be  a  judge  between  us,"  said  the  man,  as  he 
pointed  to  Reynard  the  fox,  who  came  stealing  between 
the  stones  of  the  heap. 

"All  good  things  are  three,"  said  the  man;  "let  me 
ask  him,  too,  and  if  he  gives  doom  like  the  others,  eat 
me  up  on  the  spot." 

"Very  well,"  said  the  Dragon.  He,  too,  had  heard 
that  all  good  things  were  three,  and  so  it  should  be  a 
bargain.  So  the  man  talked  to  the  fox  as  he  had  talked 
to  the  others. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  said  Reynard,  "  I  see  how  it  all  is  ; " 
but  as  he  said  this  he  took  the  man  a  little  on  one 
side. 

"What  will  you  give  me  if  I  free  you  from  the 
Dragon  ?  "  he  whispered  into  the  man's  ear. 

"  You  shall  be  free  to  come  to  my  house,  and  to 
be  lord  and  master  over  my  hens  and  geese  every 
Thursday  night,"  said  the  man. 

"  Well,  my  dear  Dragon,"  said  Reynard,  "  this  is  a 
very  hard  nut  to  crack.  I  can't  get  it  into  my  head 
how  you,  who  are  so  big  and  mighty  a  beast,  could 
find  room  to  lie  under  yon  stone." 

"Can't  you?"  said  the  Dragon;  "well,  I  lay  under 
the  hill-side,  and  sunned  myself,  and  down  came  a 
landslip,  and  hurled  the  stone  over  me." 

"All  very  likely,  I  dare  say,"  said  Reynard;  "but 
still  I  can't  understand  it,  and  what's  more  I  won't 
believe  it  till  I  see  it." 

So  the  man  said  they  had  better  prove  it,  and  the 


1 20  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

Dragon  crawled  down  into  his  hole  again  ;  but  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye  they  whipped  out  the  lever,  and 
down  the  stone  crashed  again  on  the  Dragon. 

"  Lie  now  there  till  doomsday,"  said  the  fox.  "  You 
would  eat  the  man,  would  you,  who  saved  your  life  ?  " 

The  Dragon  groaned,  and  moaned,  and  begged  hard 
to  come  out ;  but  the  two  went  their  way  and  left  him 
alone. 

The  very  first  Thursday  night  Reynard  came  to  be 
lord  and  master  over  the  hen-roost,  and  hid  himself 
behind  a  great  pile  of  wood  hard  by.  When  the  maid 
went  to  feed  the  fowls,  in  stole  Reynard.  She  neither 
saw  nor  heard  anything  of  him  ;  but  her  back  was 
scarce  turned  before  he  had  sucked  blood  enough  for 
a  week,  and  stuffed  himself  so  that  he  couldn't  stir. 
So  when  she  came  again  in  the  morning,  there  Reynard 
lay  and  snored,  and  slept  in  the  morning  sun,  with  all 
four  legs  stretched  straight ;  and  he  was  as  sleek  and 
round  as  a  German  sausage. 

Away  ran  the  lassie  for  the  goody,  and  she  came, 
and  all  the  lasses  with  her,  with  sticks  and  brooms 
to  beat  Reynard ;  and,  to  tell  the  truth,  they  nearly 
banged  the  life  out  of  him ;  but,  just  as  it  was  almost 
all  over  with  him,  and  he  thought  his  last  hour  was 
come,  he  found  a  hole  in  the  floor,  and  so  he  crept  out, 
and  limped  and  hobbled  off  to  the  wood. 

"  Oh,  oh,"  said  Reynard  ;  "how  true  it  is.  'Tis  the 
way  of  the  world;  and  this  is  how  it  pays  its  debts." 


The  Pancake 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  goody  who  had  seven 
hungry  bairns,  and  she  was  frying  a  pancake 
for  them.  It  was  a  sweet-milk  pancake,  and 
there  it  lay  in  the  pan  bubbling  and  frizzling  so  thick 
and  good,  it  was  a  sight  for  sore  eyes  to  look  at.  And 
the  bairns  stood  round  about,  and  the  goodman  sat  by 
and  looked  on. 

"  Oh,  give  me  a  bit  of  pancake,  mother,  dear ;  I  am 
so  hungry,"  said  one  bairn. 

"  Oh,  darling  mother,"  said  the  second. 

"Oh,  darling,  good  mother,"  said  the  third. 

"  Oh,  darling,  good,  nice  mother,"  said  the  fourth. 

"  Oh,  darling,  pretty,  good,  nice  mother,"  said  the 
fifth. 

"Oh,  darling,  pretty,  good,  nice,  clever  mother," 
said  the  sixth. 

"  Oh,  darling,  pretty,  good,  nice,  clever,  sweet 
mother,"  said  the  seventh. 

So  they  begged  for  the  pancake  all  round,  the  one 
more  prettily  than  the  other ;  for  they  were  so  hungry 
and  so  good. 

"Yes,  yes,  bairns,  only  bide  a  bit  till  it  turns  itself," 
— she  ought  to  have  said,  "  till  I  can  get  it  turned," — 


122  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"and  then  you  shall  all  have  some — a  lovely  sweet- 
milk  pancake ;  only  look  how  fat  and  happy  it  lies 
there." 

When  the  pancake  heard  that  it  got  afraid,  and  in  a 
trice  it  turned  itself  all  of  itself,  and  tried  to  jump  out 
of  the  pan  ;  but  it  fell  back  into  it  again  t'other  side 
up,  and  so  when  it  had  been  fried  a  little  on  the  other 
side  too,  till  it  got  firmer  in  its  flesh,  it  sprang  out  on 
the  floor,  and  rolled  off  like  a  wheel  through  the  door 
and  down  the  hill. 

"  Holloa !  Stop,  pancake  !  "  and  awa}^  went  the 
goody  after  it,  with  the  frying-pan  in  one  hand  and 
the  ladle  in  the  other,  as  fast  as  she  could,  and  her 
bairns  behind  her,  while  the  goodman  limped  after 
them  last  of  all. 

"Hi!  won't  you  stop?  Seize  it.  Stop,  pancake," 
they  all  screamed  out,  one  after  the  other,  and  tried  to 
catch  it  on  the  run  and  hold  it ;  but  the  pancake  rolled 
on  and  on,  and  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  it  was  so  far 
ahead  that  they  couldn't  see  it,  for  the  pancake  was 
faster  on  its  feet  than  any  of  them. 

So  when  it  had  rolled  awhile  it  met  a  man. 

"  Good  day,  pancake,"  said  the  man. 

"  God  bless  you,  Manny  Panny  !  "  said  the  pancake. 

"Dear  pancake,"  said  the  man,  "don't  roll  so  fast; 
stop  a  little  and  let  me  eat  you." 

"When  I  have  given  the  slip  to  Goody  Poody,  and 
the  goodman,  and  seven  squalling  children,  I  may  well 
slip  through  your  fingers,  Manny  Panny,"  said  the 
pancake,  and  rolled  on  and  on  till  it  met  a  hen. 

"  Good  day,  pancake,"  said  the  hen. 

"  The  same  to  you,  Henny  Penny,"  said  the  pancake. 


The  Pancake  123 

"  Pancake,  dear,  don't  roll  so  fast ;  bide  a  bit  and  let 
me  eat  you  up,"  said  the  hen. 

"When  I  have  given  the  slip  to  Goody  Poody,  and 
the  goodman,  and  seven  squalling  children,  and  Manny 
Panny,  I  may  well  slip  through  your  claws,  Henny 
Penny,"  said  the  pancake,  and  so  it  rolled  on  like  a 
wheel  down  the  road. 

Just  then  it  met  a  cock. 

"Good  day,  pancake,"  said  the  cock. 

"The  same  to  you,  Cocky  Locky,"  said  the  pan- 
cake. 

"  Pancake,  dear,  don't  roll  so  fast,  but  bide  a  bit  and 
let  me  eat  you  up." 

"  When  I  have  given  the  slip  to  Goody  Poody,  and 
the  goodman,  and  seven  squalling  children,  and  to 
Manny  Panny,  and  Henny  Penny,  I  may  well  slip 
through  your  claws,  Cocky  Locky,"  said  the  pancake, 
and  off  it  set  rolling  away  as  fast  as  it  could;  and 
when  it  had  rolled  a  long  way  it  met  a  duck. 

"  Good  day,  pancake,"  said  the  duck. 

"The  same  to  you,  Ducky  Lucky." 

"  Pancake,  dear,  don't  roll  away  so  fast ;  bide  a  bit 
and  let  me  eat  you  up. ' 

"When  I  have  given  the  slip  to  Goody  Poody,  and 
the  goodman,  and  seven  squalling  children,  and  Manny 
Panny,  and  Henny  Penny,  and  Cocky  Locky,  I  may 
well  slip  through  your  fingers,  Ducky  Lucky,"  said  the 
pancake,  and  with  that  it  took  to  rolling  and  rolling 
faster  than  ever ;  and  when  it  had  rolled  a  long,  long 
while,  it  met  a  goose. 

"  Good  day,  pancake,"  said  the  goose. 

"  The  same  to  you,  Goosey  Poosey." 


124 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


u Pancake,  dear,  don't  roll  so  fast;  bide  a  bit  and  let 
me  eat  you  up." 

"When  I  have  given  the  slip  to  Goody  Poody,  and 
the  goodman,  and  seven  squalling  children,  and  Manny 
Panny,    and   Henny    Penny,   and    Cocky   Locky,    and 

Ducky  Lucky,  I  can 
well  slip  through 
your  feet,  Goosey 
Poosey,"  said  the 
pancake,  and  off  it 
rolled. 

So    when    it    had 
rolled    a    long,     long 
way  farther,  it  met  a 
gander. 
"Good  day,  pancake,"  said  the  gander. 
"  The  same  to  you,  Gander  Pander,"  said  the  pan- 
cake. 

"  Pancake,  dear,  don't  roll  so  fast ;  bide  a  bit  and  let 
me  eat  you  up." 

"When  I  have  given  the  slip  to  Goody  Poody,  and 
the  goodman,  and  seven  squalling  children,  and  Manny 
Panny,  and  Henny  Penny,  and  Cocky  Locky,  and 
Ducky  Lucky,  and  Goosey  Poosey,  I  may  well  slip 
through  your  feet,  Gander  Pander,"  said  the  pancake, 
which  rolled  off  as  fast  as  ever. 

So  when  it  had  rolled  a  long,  long  time,  it  met  a  pig. 
"Good  day,  pancake,"  said  the  pig. 
"  The  same  to  you,  Piggy  Wiggy,"  said  the  pancake, 
which,  without  a  word  more,  began  to  roll  and  roll  like 
nad. 
"Nay,  nay,"  said  the  pig,  "you  needn't  be  in  such  a 


The  Pancake 


12$. 


hurry ;  we  two  can  then  go  side  by  side  and  see  one 
another  over  the  wood ;  they  say  it  is  not  too  safe  in 
there." 

The  pancake  thought  there  might  be  something  in 
that,  and  so  they  kept  company.  But  when  they  had 
gone  awhile,  they  came  to  a  brook.  As  for  Piggy,  he 
was  so  fat  he  swam  safe  across,  it  was  nothing  to  him ; 
but  the  poor  pancake  couldn't  get  over. 

"Seat  yourself  on  my  snout,"  said  the  pig,  "and  I'll 
carry  you  over." 

So  the  pancake  did  that. 

"  Ouf,  ouf,"  said  the  pig,  and  swallowed  the  pancake 
at  one  gulp  ;  and  then,  as  the  poor  pancake  could  go 
no  farther,  why — this  story  can  go  no  farther  either. 


Pork  and  Honey 


AT  dawn  the  other  day,  when  Bruin  came  tramping 
yy  over  the  bog  with  a  fat  pig,  Reynard  sat  up  on 
a  stone  by  the  moorside. 

"Good  day,  grandsire,"  said  the  fox;  "whra's  that 
so  nice  that  you  have  there  ?  " 

"  Pork,"  said  Bruin. 

"  Well,  I  have  got  a  dainty  bit  too,"  said  Reynard. 

"  What  is  that  ?  "  asked  the  bear. 

"The  biggest  wild  bee's  comb  I  ever  saw  in  my  life," 
said  Reynard. 

"  Indeed,  you  don't  say  so,"  said  Bruin,  who  grinned 
and  licked  his  lips.  He  thought  it  would  be  so  nice  to 
taste  a  little  honey.  At  last  he  said,  "  Shall  we  swop 
our  fare  ?  " 

"  Nay,  nay  !  "  said  Reynard,  "  I  can't  do  that." 

The  end  was  that  they  made  a  bet,  and  agreed  to 

name  three  trees.     If  the  fox  could  say  them  off  faster 

than  the  bear,  he  was  to  have  leave  to  take  one  bite  of 

the  bacon;  but  if  the  bear  could  say  them  faster,  he 

was  to  have  leave  to  take  one  sup  out  of  the  comb. 

Greedy  Bruin  thought  he  was  sure  to  sup  out  all  the 

honey  at  one  breath. 

"Well,"  said  Reynard,   "it's  all  fair  and  right,  no 
126 


Pork  and  Honey  127 

doubt,  but  all  I  say  is,  if  I  win,  you  shall  be  bound 
to  tear  off  the  bristles  where  I  am  to  bite." 

"  Of  course,"  said  Bruin,  "  I'll  help  you,  as  you  can't 
help  yourself." 

So  they  were  to  begin  and  name  the  trees. 

"  Fir,  Scotch  Fir,  Spruce,"  growled  out  Bruin, 
for  he  was  gruff  in  his  tongue,  that  he  was.  But  for 
all  that  he  only  named  '.wo  trees,  for  Fir  and  Scotch 
Fir  are  both  the  same. 

"  Ash,  Aspen,  Oak,"  screamed  Reynard,  so  that  the 
wood  rang  again. 

So  he  had  won  the  wager,  and  down  he  ran  and 
took  the  heart  out  of  the  pig  at  one  bite,  and  was  just 
running  off  with  it.  But  Bruin  was  angry  because 
he  had  taken  the  best  bit  out  of  the  whole  pig,  and 
so  he  laid  hold  of  his  tail  and  held  him  fast. 

"Stop  a  bit,  stop  a  bit,"  he  said,  and  was  wild  with 
rage. 

"Never  mind,"  said  the  fox,  "it's  all  right;  let  me 
go,  grandsire,  and  I'll  give  you  a  taste  of  my  honey." 

When  Bruin  heard  that,  he  let  go  his  hold,  and 
away  went  Reynard  after  the  honey. 

"  Here,  on  this  honeycomb,"  said  Reynard,  "  lies  a 
leaf,  and  under  this  leaf  is  a  hole,  and  that  hole  you 
are  to  suck." 

As  he  said  this  he  held  up  the  comb  under  the 
bear's  nose,  took  off  the  leaf,  jumped  up  on  a  stone, 
and  began  to  gibber  and  laugh,  for  there  was  neither 
honey  nor  honeycomb,  but  a  wasp's  nest,  as  big  as  a 
man's  head,  full  of  wasps,  and  out  swarmed  the  wasps 
and  settled  on  Bruin's  head,  and  stung  him  in  his  eyes 
and  ears,  and  mouth  and   snout.      And  he  had  such 


12! 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


hard  work  to  rid  himself  of  them  that  he  had  no  time 
to  think  of  Reynard. 

And   that's  why,  ever  since  that   day,  Bruin   is   so 
afraid  of  wasps. 


The  Hare  and  the  Heiress 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  hare,  who  was  frisk- 
ing up  and  down  under  the  greenwood  tree. 
"Oh!   hurrah!    hip,   hip,  hurrah!"  he  cried, 
and  leapt  and  sprang,  and  all  at  once  he  threw  a  somer- 
sault and  stood  upon  his  hind-legs.     Just  then  a  fox 
came  slouching  by. 

"Good  day,  good  day,"  said  the  hare;  "I'm  so 
merry  to-day,  for  you  must 
know  I  was  married  this  morn- 
ing." 

"  Lucky  fellow  you,"  said  the 
fox. 

"  Ah,  no !  not  so  lucky  after 
all,"  said  the  hare,  "for  she 
was  very  heavy-handed,  and  it 
was  an  old  witch  I  got  to  wife." 
"  Then  you  were  an  unlucky 
fellow,"  said  the  fox. 

"  Oh,  not  so  unlucky  either," 
said  the  hare,  "  for  she  was  an  heiress.  She  had  a 
cottage  of  her  own." 

"  Then  you  were  lucky  after  all,"  said  the  fox. 


Slip  Root,   Catch  Reynard's  Foot       129 

"  No,  no !  not  so  lucky  either,"  said  the  hare,  "  for 
the  cottage  caught  fire  and  was  burnt,  and  all  we  had 
with  it." 

"That  I  call  downright  unlucky,"  said  the  fox. 

"Oh,  no;  not  so  very  unlucky  after  all,"  said  the 
hare,  "  for  my  witch  of  a  wife  was  burnt  along  with 
her  cottage." 


Slip  Root,  Catch  Reynard's  Foot 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  bear,  who  sat  on 
a  hillside  in  the  sun  and  slept.  Just  then  Rey- 
nard came  slouching  by  and  caught  sight  of  him. 

"There  you  sit  taking  your  ease,  grandsire,"  said 
the  fox.  "Now,  see  if  I  don't  play  you  a  trick."  So 
he  went  and  caught  three  field-mice  and  laid  them  on  a 
stump  close  under  Bruin's  nose,  and  then  he  bawled 
out  into  his  ear,  "Bo!  Bruin,  here's  Peter  the  Hunter, 
just  behind  this  stump ; "  and  as  he  bawled  this  out  he 
ran  off  through  the  wood  as  fast  as  ever  he  could. 

Bruin  woke  up  with  a  start,  and  when  he  saw  the 
three  little  mice,  he  was  as  mad  as  a  March  hare,  and  was 
going  to  lift  up  his  paw  and  crush  them,  for  he  thought 
it  was  they  who  had  bellowed  in  his  ear. 

But  just  as  he  lifted  it  he  caught  sight  of  Reynard's 
tail  among  the  bushes  by  the  woodside,  and  away  he 
set  after  him,  so  that  the  underwood  crackled  as  he 
went,  and,  to  tell  the  truth,  Bruin  was  so  close  upon 
Reynard,  that  he  caught  hold  of  his  off  hind-foot  just 


I  30  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

as  he  was  crawling  into  an  earth  under  a  pine-root. 
So  there  was  Reynard  in  a  pinch ;  but  for  all  that  he 
had  his  wits  about  him,  for  he  screeched  out,  "SLIP 
THE  PINE-ROOT  AND  CATCH  REYNARD'S  FOOT,"  and 
so  the  silly  bear  let  his  foot  slip  and  laid  hold  of  the 
root  instead.  But  by  that  time  Reynard  was  safe 
inside  the  earth,  and  called  out — 

"  I  cheated  you  that  time,  too,  didn't  I,  grandsire ! " 
"  Out  of  sight   isn't  out   of  mind,"  growled   Bruin 
down  the  earth,  and  was  wild  with  rage. 


Bruin   Goodfellow 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  husbandman  who 
travelled  ever  so  far  up  to  the  fells  to  fetch  a 
load  of  leaves  for  litter  for  his  cattle  in  winter. 
So  when  he  got  to  where  the  litter  lay,  he  backed  the 
sledge  close  up  to  the  heap,  and  began  to  roll  down  the 
leaves  on  to  the  sledge.  But  under  the  heap  lay  a 
bear  who  had  made  his  winter  lair  there,  and  when  he 
felt  the  man  trampling  about  he  jumped  outright  down 
on  to  the  sledge. 

As  soon  as  the  horse  got  wind  of  Bruin  he  was 
afraid,  and  ran  off  as  though  he  had  stolen  both  bear 
and  sledge,  and  he  went  back  faster  by  many  times 
than  he  had  come  up. 

Bruin,  they  say,  is  a  brave  fellow,  but  even  he  was 
not  quite  pleased  with  his  drive  this  time.    So  there  he 


Brum  Goodfellow  131 

sat,  holding  fast  as  well  as  he  could,  and  he  glared  and 
grinned  on  all  sides,  and  he  thought  of  throwing  him- 
self off,  but  he  was  not  used  to  sledge  travelling,  and 
so  he  made  up  his  mind  to  sit  still  where  he  was. 

So  when  he  had  driven  a  good  bit  he  met  a  pedlar. 

"Whither,  in  heaven's  name,  is  the  sheriff  bound  to- 
day ?  He  has  surely  little  time  and  a  long  way,  he 
drives  so  fast." 

But  Bruin  said  never  a  word,  for  all  he  could  do  was 
to  stick  fast. 

A  little  farther  on  a  beggar-woman  met  him.  She 
nodded  to  him  and  greeted  him,  and  begged  for  a 
penny  in  God's  name.  But  Bruin  said  never  a  word, 
but  stuck  fast  and  drove  on  faster  than  ever. 

So  when  he  had  gone  a  bit  farther,  Reynard  the  fox 
met  him. 

"Ho!  ho!"  said  Reynard,  "are  you  out  taking  a 
drive  ?  Stop  a  bit,  and  let  me  get  up  behind  and  be 
your  postboy." 

But  still  Bruin  said  never  a  word,  but  held  on  like 
grim  death,  and  drove  on  as  fast  as  the  horse  could  lay 
legs  to  the  ground. 

"Well,  well,"  screamed  Reynard  after  him,  "if  you 
won't  take  me  with  you  I'll  spae  your  fortune  ;  and 
that  is,  though  you  drive  like  a  daredevil  to-day,  you'll 
be  hanging  up  to-morrow  with  the  hide  off  your  back." 

But  Bruin  never  heard  a  word  that  Reynard  said. 
On  and  on  he  drove  just  as  fast ;  but  when  the  horse 
got  to  the  farm,  he  galloped  into  the  open  stable  door 
at  full  speed,  so  that  he  tore  off  both  sledge  and  harness, 
and  as  for  poor  Bruin,  he  knocked  his  skull  against  the 
lintel,  and  there  he  lay  dead  on  the  spot. 


132  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

All  this  time  the  man  knew  nothing  of  what  had 
happened.  He  rolled  down  bundle  after  bundle  of 
leaves,  and  when  he  thought  he  had  enough  to  load 
his  sledge,  and  went  down  to  bind  on  the  bundles,  he 
could  find  neither  horse  nor  sledge. 

So  he  had  to  tramp  along  the  road  to  find  his  horse 
again,  and  after  a  while  he  met  the  pedlar. 

"  Have  you  met  my  horse  and  sledge  ?  "  he  asked. 

"No,"  said  the  pedlar;  "  but  lower  down  along  the 
road  I  met  the  sheriff;  he  drove  so  fast,  he  was  surely 
going  to  lay  some  one  by  the  heels." 

A  while  after  he  met  the  beggar-woman. 

"  Have  you  seen  my  horse  and  sledge  ?  "  said  the 
man. 

"  No,"  said  the  beggar-woman ;  "  but  I  met  the 
parson  lower  down  yonder ;  he  was  surely  going  to  a 
parish  meeting,  he  drove  so  fast,  and  he  had  a  bor- 
rowed horse." 

A  while  after  the  man  met  the  fox. 

"  Have  you  seen  my  horse  and  sledge  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  have,"  said  the  fox;  "and  Bruin  Good- 
fellow  sat  on  it  and  drove  just  as  though  he  had  stolen 
both  horse  and  harness." 

"  De'il  take  him,"  said  the  man,  "  I'll  be  bound  he'll 
drive  my  horse  to  death." 

"If  he  does,  flay  him,"  said  Reynard,  "and  roast 
him  before  the  fire  !  But  if  you  get  your  horse  again 
you  may  give  me  a  lift  over  the  fell,  for  I  can  ride 
well,  and  besides  I  have  a  fancy  to  see  how  it  feels 
when  one  has  four  legs  before  one." 

"What  will  you  give  for  the  lift  ?  "  said  the  man. 

"You   can    have   what  you   like,"   said    Reynard; 


Bruin  and  Reynard  Partners        133 

"  either  wet  or  dry.  You  may  be  sure  you'll  always 
get  more  out  of  me  than  out  of  Bruin  Goodfellow,  for 
he  is  a  rough  carle  to  pay  off  when  he  takes  a  fancy  to 
riding  and  hangs  on  a  horse's  back." 

"  Well !  you  shall  have  a  lift  over  the  fell,"  said 
the  man,  "  if  you  will  only  meet  me  at  this  spot  to- 
morrow." 

But  he  knew  that  Reynard  was  only  playing  off  some 
of  his  tricks  upon  him,  and  so  he  took  with  him  a  loaded 
gun  on  the  sledge,  and  when  Reynard  came,  thinking 
to  get  a  lift  for  nothing,  he  got  instead  a  charge  of 
shot  in  his  body,  and  so  the  husbandman  flayed  the 
coat  off  him  too,  and  then  he  had  gotten  both  Bruin's 
hide  and  Reynard's  skin. 


Bruin  and  Reynard  Partners 


ONCE  on  a  time  Bruin  and  Reynard  were  to  own  a 
field  in  common.     They  had  a  little  clearing  up 
in  the  wood,  and  the  first  year  they  sowed  rye. 
"  Now  we  must  share  the  crop  as  is  fair  and  right," 
said  Reynard.     "If  you  like  to  have  the  root,  I'll  take 
the  top." 

Yes,  Bruin  was  ready  to  do  that ;  but  when  they  had 
threshed  out  the  crop,  Reynard  got  all  the  corn,  but 
Bruin  got  nothing  but  roots  and  rubbish.  He  did  not 
like  that  at  all ;  but  Reynard  said  it  was  how  they  had 
agreed  to  share  it. 


134  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"  This  year  I  have  the  gain,"  said  Reynard  ;  "  next 
year  it  will  be  your  turn.  Then  you  shall  have  the 
top,  and  I  shall  have  to  put  up  with  the  root." 

But  when  spring  came,  and  it  was  time  to  sow, 
Reynard  asked  Bruin  what  he  thought  of  turnips. 

"Aye,  aye!"  said  Bruin,  "that's  better  food  than 
corn ; "  and  so  Re}'nard  thought  also.  But  when 
harvest  came  Reynard  got  the  roots,  while  Bruin 
got  the  turnip-tops.  And  then  Bruin  was  so  angry 
with  Reynard  that  he  put  an  end  at  once  to  his 
partnership  with  him. 


Reynard  wants  to  Taste  Horse-flesh 


ONE  day  as  Bruin  lay  by  a  horse  which  he  had 
slain,  and  was  hard  at  work  eating  it,  Reynard 
was  out  that  day  too,  and  came  up  spying  about 
and  licking  his  lips,  if  he  might  get  a  taste  of  the 
horse-flesh.  So  he  doubled  and  turned  till  he  got  just 
behind  Bruin's  back,  and  then  he  jumped  on  the  other 
side  of  the  carcass  and  snapped  a  mouthful  as  he  ran 
by.  Bruin  was  not  slow  either,  for  he  made  a  grab  at 
Reynard  and  caught  the  tip  of  his  red  brush  in  his 
paw ;  and  ever  since  then  Reynard's  brush  is  white 
at  the  tip,  as  any  one  may  see. 

But  that  day  Bruin  was  merry,  and  called  out — 

"  Bide  a  bit,  Reynard ;  and  come  hither,  and  I'll  tell 
you  how  to  catch  a  horse  for  yourself." 

Yes,  Reynard  was  ready  enough  to  learn,  but  he 
did  not  for  all  that  trust  himself  to  go  very  close  to 
Bruin. 

"  Listen,"  said  Bruin,  "  when  you  see  a  horse 
asleep,  sunning  himself  in  the  sunshine,  you  must 
mind  and  bind  yourself  fast  by  the  hair  of  his  tail 
to  your  brush,  and  then  you  must  make  your  teeth 
meet  in  the  flesh  of  his  thigh." 

As  you  may  fancy,  it  was  not  long  before  Reynard 


1 3  6  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

found  out  a  horse  that  lay  asleep  in  the  sunshine,  and 
then  he  did  as  Bruin  had  told  him  ;  for  he  knotted 
and  bound  himself  well  into  the  hair  of  his  tail,  and 
made  his  teeth  meet  in  the  horse's  thigh. 

Up  sprang  the  horse,  and  began  to  kick  and  rear 
and  gallop,  so  that  Reynard  was  dashed  against  stock 
and  stone,  and  got  battered  black  and  blue,  so  that 
he  was  not  far  off  losing  both  wit  and  sense.  And 
while  the  horse  galloped,  they  passed  Jack  Longears, 
the  hare. 

"Whither  away  so  fast,  Reynard?"  cried  Jack 
Longears. 

"  Post-haste,  on  business  of  life  and  death,  dear 
Jack,"  cried  Reynard. 

And  with  that  Jack  stood  up  on  his  hind-legs,  and 
laughed  till  his  sides  ached  and  his  jaws  split  right 
up  to  his  ears.  It  was  so  funny  to  see  Reynard  ride 
post-haste. 

But  you  must  know,  since  that  ride  Reynard  has 
never  thought  of  catching  a  horse  for  himself.  For 
that  once  at  least  it  was  Bruin  who  had  the  best  of  it 
in  wit,  though  they  do  say  he  is  most  often  as  simple- 
minded  as  the  Trolls. 


Master  Tobacco 


NCE    upon  a  time  there 
was  a  poor  woman  who 
went  about  begging  with 
her  son  ;  for  at  home  she 
had  neither  a  morsel  to 
eat  nor  a  stick  to  burn. 
First  she  tried  the  coun- 
try, and  went  from  parish 
to    parish ;     but    it    was 
poor  work,  and    so    she 
came     into     the     town. 
There    she    went    about 
from  house  to  house  for  awhile,  and  at  last  she  came 
to  the  Lord  Mayor.      lie  was  both  open-hearted  and 
open-handed,   and   he   was   married 
to  the  daughter  of  the  richest  mer- 
chant  in   the   town,   and    they    had 
one   little    daughter.     As   they  had 
no   more    children,  you    may   fancy 
she   was    sugar    and   spice    and   all 
that's    nice,    and    in    a    word    there 
was     nothing     too     good    for    her. 
This  little  girl  soon  came  to  know 
the   beggar-boy  as   he  went  about 
with  his  mother;  and  as  the  Lord 
Mayor  was  a  wise  man,  as  soon  as 
he  saw  what  friends  the  two  were, 
he  took  the  boy  into  his  house,  that 


1 3  8  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

he  might  be  his  daughter's  playmate.  Yes,  they 
played  and  read  arid  went  to  school  together,  and 
never  had  so  much  as  one  quarrel. 

One  day  the  Lady  Mayoress  stood  at  the  window, 
and  watched  the  children  as  they  were  trudging  off 
to  school.  There  had  been  a  shower  of  rain,  and 
the  street  was  flooded,  and  she  saw  how  the  boy 
first  carried  the  basket  with  their  dinner  over  the 
stream,  and  then  he  went  back  and  lifted  the  little 
girl  over,  and  when  he  set  her  down  he  gave  her 
a  kiss. 

When  the  Lady  Mayoress  saw  this,  she  got  very 
angry.  "To  think  of  such  a  ragamuffin  kissing  our 
daughter — we  who  are  the  best  people  in  the  place !  " 
That  was  what  she  said.  Her  husband  did  his  best 
to  stop  her  tongue.  "No  one  knew,"  he  said, 
"  how  children  would  turn  out  in  life,  or  what  might 
befall  his  own :  the  boy  was  a  clever,  handy  lad,  and 
often  and  often  a  great  tree  sprang  from  a  slender 
plant." 

But  no !  it  was  all  the  same,  whatever  he  said 
and  whichever  way  he  put  it.  The  Lady  Mayoress 
held  her  own,  and  said  beggars  on  horseback  always 
rode  their  cattle  to  death,  and  that  no  one  had  ever 
heard  of  a  silk  purse  being  made  out  of  a  sow's 
ear ;  adding,  that  a  penny  would  never  turn  into 
a  shilling,  even  though  it  glittered  like  a  guinea. 
The  end  of  it  all  was  that  the  poor  lad  was  turned 
out  of  the  house,  and  had  to  pack  up  his  rags  and 
be  off. 

When  the  Lord  Mayor  saw  there  was  no  help  for  it, 
he  sent  him  away  with  a  trader  who  had  come  thither 


Master  Tobacco  139 

with  a  ship,  and  he  was  to  be  cabin-boy  on  board  her. 
He  told  his  wife  he  had  sold  the  boy  for  a  roll  of 
tobacco. 

But  before  he  went  the  Lord  Mayor's  daughter  broke 
her  ring  into  two  bits,  and  gave  the  boy  one  bit,  that  it 
might  be  a  token  to  know  him  by  if  they  ever  met 
again ;  and  so  the  ship  sailed  away,  and  the  lad  came 
to  a  town,  far,  far  off  in  the  world,  and  to  that  town  a 
priest  had  just  come  who  was  so  good  a  preacher  that 
every  one  went  to  church  to  hear  him,  and  the  crew  of 
the  ship  went  with  the  rest  the  Sunday  after  to  hear 
the  sermon.  As  for  the  lad,  he  was  left  behind  to 
mind  the  ship  and  to  cook  the  dinner.  So  while  he 
was  hard  at  work  he  heard  some  one  calling  out  across 
the  water  on  an  island.  So  he  took  the  boat  and 
rowed  across,  and  there  he  saw  an  old  hag,  who  called 
and  roared. 

"Aye,"  she  said,  "you  have  come  at  last!  Here 
have  I  stood  a  hundred  years  calling  and  bawling,  and 
thinking  now  I  should  ever  get  over  this  water;  but 
no  one  has  ever  heard  or  heeded  but  you,  and  you 
shall  be  well  paid  if  you  will  put  me  over  to  the  other 
side." 

So  the  lad  had  to  row  her  to  her  sister's  house,  who 
lived  on  a  hill  on  the  other  side  close  by;  and  when 
they  got  there,  she  told  him  to  beg  for  the  old  table- 
cloth which  lay  on  the  dresser.  Yes !  he  would  beg  for 
it ;  and  when  the  old  witch  who  lived  there  knew  that 
he  had  helped  her  sister  over  the  water,  she  said  he 
might  have  whatever  he  chose  to  ask. 

"Oh,"  said  the  boy,  "then  I  won't  have  anything 
else  than  that  old  table-cloth  on  the  dresser  yonder." 


140 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


"  Oh,"  said  the  old  witch,  "  that  you  never  asked 
out  of  your  own  wits." 

"  Now  I  must  be  off,"  said  the  lad,  "  to  cook  the 
Sunday  dinner  for  the  church-goers." 

"Never  mind  that,"  said  the  first  old  hag;  "it  will 
cook  itself  while  you  are  away.     Stop  with  me,  and 


I  will  pay  you  better  still.  Here  have  I  stood  and 
called  and  bawled  for  a  hundred  years,  but  no  one 
has  ever  heeded  me  but  you." 

The  end  was  he  had  to  go  with  her  to  another  sister, 
and  when  he  got  there  the  old  hag  said  he  was  to  be 
sure  and  ask  for  the  old  sword,  which  was  such  that 
he  could  put  it  into  his  pocket  and  it  became  a  knife, 


Master  Tobacco  141 

and  when  he  drew  it  out  it  was  a  long  sword  again. 
One  edge  was  black  and  the  other  white ;  and  if  he 
smote  with  the  black  edge  everything  fell  dead,  and  if 
with  the  white  everything  came  to  life  again.  So  when 
they  came  over,  and  the  second  old  witch  heard  how 
he  had  helped  her  sister  across,  she  said  he  might 
have  anything  he  chose  to  ask  for  her  fare. 

"  Oh,"  said  the  lad,  "  then  I  will  have  nothing  else 
but  that  old  sword  which  hangs  up  over  the  cupboard." 

"That  you  never  asked  out  of  your  own  wits,"  said 
the  old  witch ;  but  for  all  that  he  got  the  sword. 

Then  the  old  hag  said  again,  "  Come  on  with  me  to 
my  third  sister.  Here  have  I  stood  and  called  and 
bawled  for  a  hundred  years,  and  no  one  has  heeded 
me  but  you.  Come  on  to  my  third  sister,  and  you 
shall  have  better  pay  still." 

So  he  went  with  her,  and  on  the  way  she  told  him 
he  was  to  ask  for  the  old  hymn-book ;  and  that  was 
such  a  book  that  when  any  one  was  sick  and  the  nurse 
sang  one  of  the  hymns,  the  sickness  passed  away,  and 
they  were  well  again.  Well !  when  they  got  across, 
and  the  third  old  witch  heard  he  had  helped  her  sister 
across,  she  said  he  was  to  have  whatever  he  chose  to 
ask  for  his  fare. 

"  Oh,"  said  the  lad,  "  then  I  won't  have  anything  else 
but  granny's  old  hymn-book." 

"That,"  said  the  old  hag,  "you  never  asked  out  of 
your  own  wits." 

When  he  got  back  to  the  ship  the  crew  were  still  at 
church,  so  he  tried  his  table-cloth,  and  spread  just  a 
little  bit  of  it  out,  for  he  wanted  to  see  what  good  it  was 
before  he  laid  it  on  the  table.     Yes !  in  a  trice  it  was 


142  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

covered  with  good  food  and  strong  drink,  enough  and 
to  spare.  So  he  just  took  a  little  snack,  and  then  he 
gave  the  ship's  dog  as  much  as  it  could  eat. 

When  the  church  goers  came  on  board,  the  captain 
said,  "  Wherever  did  you  get  all  that  food  for  the 
dog  ?  Why,  he's  as  round  as  a  sausage,  and  as  lazy 
as  a  snail." 

"  Oh,  if  you  must  know,"  said  the  lad,  "I  gave  him 
the  bones." 

"Good  boy,"  said  the  captain,  "to  think  of  the 
dog." 

So  he  spread  out  the  cloth,  and  at  once  the  whole 
table  was  covered  all  over  with  such  brave  meat  and 
drink  as  they  had  never  before  seen  in  all  their  born 
days. 

Now  when  the  boy  was  again  alone  with  the  dog,  he 
wanted  to  try  the  sword,  so  he  smote  at  the  dog  with 
the  black  edge,  and  it  fell  dead  on  the  deck ;  but  when 
he  turned  the  blade  and  smote  with  the  white  edge, 
the  dog  came  to  life  again  and  wagged  his  tail  and 
fawned  on  his  playmate.  But  the  book — that  he  could 
not  get  tried  just  then. 

Then  they  sailed  well  and  far  till  a  storm  overtook 
them,  which  lasted  many  days;  so  they  lay  to  and 
drove  till  they  were  quite  out  of  their  course,  and 
could  not  tell  where  they  were.  At  last  the  wind  fell, 
and  then  they  came  to  a  country  far,  far  off,  that  none 
of  them  knew;  but  they  could  easily  see  there  was 
great  grief  there,  as  well  there  might  be,  for  the  king's 
daughter  was  a  leper.  The  king  came  down  to  the 
shore,  and  asked  was  there  any  one  on  board  who  could 
cure  her  and  make  her  well  again. 


Master  Tobacco  143 

"  No,  there  was  not."  That  was  what  they  all  said 
who  were  on  deck. 

"  Is  there  no  one  else  on  board  the  ship  than  those  I 
see?"  asked  the  king. 

"  Yes ;  there's  a  little  beggar-boy." 

"Well,"  said  the  king,  "let  him  come  on  deck." 

So  when  he  came,  and  heard  what  the  king  wanted, 
he  said  he  thought  he  might  cure  her;  and  then  the 
captain  got  so  wroth  and  mad  with  rage  that  he  ran 
round  and  round  like  a  squirrel  in  a  cage,  for  he  thought 
the  boy  was  only  putting  himself  forward  to  do  some- 
thing in  which  he  was  sure  to  fail,  and  he  told  the  king 
not  to  listen  to  such  childish  chatter. 

But  the  king  only  said  that  wit  came  as  children 
grew,  and  that  there  was  the  making  of  a  man  in 
every  bairn.  The  boy  had  said  he  could  do  it,  and 
he  might  as  well  try.  After  all,  there  were  many  who 
had  tried  and  failed  before  him.  So  he  took  him  home 
to  his  daughter,  and  the  lad  sang  a  hymn  once.  Then 
the  princess  could  lift  her  arm.  Once  again  he  sang 
it,  and  she  could  sit  up  in  bed.  And  when  he  had  sung 
it  thrice  the  king's  daughter  was  as  well  as  you  and 
I  are. 

The  king  was  so  glad,  he  wanted  to  give  him  half 
his  kingdom  and  the  princess  to  wife. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  lad,  "  land  and  power  are  fine 
things  to  have  half  of,"  and  was  very  grateful ;  "  but 
as  for  the  princess,  he  was  betrothed  to  another,"  he 
said,  "  and  he  could  not  take  her  to  wife." 

So  he  stayed  there  awhile,  and  got  half  the  kingdom  ; 
and  when  he  had  not  been  very  long  there,  war  broke 
out,  and  the  lad  went  out  to  battle  with  the  rest,  and 


1 44  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

you  may  fancy  he  did  not  spare  the  black  edge  of  his 
sword.  The  enemy's  soldiers  fell  before  him  like  flies, 
and  the  king  won  the  day.  But  when  they  had  con- 
quered, he  turned  the  white  edge,  and  they  all  rose  up 
alive  and  became  the  king's  soldiers,  who  had  granted 
them  their  lives.  But  then  there  were  so  many  of  them 
that  they  were  badly  off  for  food,  though  the  king 
wished  to  send  them  away  full,  both  of  meat  and  drink. 
So  the  lad  had  to  bring  out  his  table-cloth,  and  then 
there  was  not  a  man  that  lacked  anything. 

Now  when  he  had  lived  a  little  longer  with  the  king, 
he  began  to  long  to  see  the  Lord  Mayor's  daughter.  So 
he  fitted  out  four  ships  of  war  and  set  sail ;  and  when 
he  came  off  the  town  where  the  Lord  Mayor  lived,  he 
fired  off  his  cannon  like  thunder,  till  half  the  panes  of 
glass  in  the  town  were  shivered.  On  board  those  ships 
everything  was  as  grand  as  in  a  king's  palace;  and  as 
for  himself,  he  had  gold  on  every  seam  of  his  coat,  so 
fine  he  was.  It  was  not  long  before  the  Lord  Mayor 
came  down  to  the  shore  and  asked  if  the  foreign  lord 
would  not  be  so  good  as  to  come  up  and  dine  with 
him.  "Yes,  he  would  go,"  he  said  ;  and  so  he  went  up 
to  the  mansion-house  where  the  Lord  Mayor  lived,  and 
there  he  took  his  seat  between  the  Lady  Mayoress  and 
her  daughter. 

So  as  they  sat  there  in  the  greatest  state,  and  ate 
and  drank  and  were  merry,  he  threw  the  half  of  the 
ring  into  the  daughter's  glass,  and  no  one  saw  it ;  but 
she  was  not  slow  to  find  out  what  he  meant,  and  ex- 
cused herself  from  the  feast  and  went  out  and  fitted  his 
half  to  her  half.  Her  mother  saw  there  was  something 
in  the  wind  and  hurried  after  her  as  fast  as  she  could. 


Master  Tobacco 


145 


"  Do  you  know  who  that  is  in  there,  mother  ?  "  said 
the  daughter. 

"  No  !  "  said  the  Lady  Mayoress. 

"He  whom  papa  sold  for  a  roll  of  tobacco,"  said  the 
daughter. 

At  these  words  the  Lady  Mayoress  fainted  and  fell 
down  flat  on  the  floor. 

In  a  little  while  the  Lord  Mayor  came  out  to  see 


(a  1 


what  was  the  matter,  and  when  he  heard  how  things 
stood  he  was  almost  as  uneasy  as  his  wife. 

"  There  is  nothing  to  make  a  fuss  about,"  said  Master 
Tobacco.  "  I  have  only  come  to  claim  the  little  girl 
I  kissed  as  we  were  going  to  school." 

But  to  the  Lady  Mayoress  he  said — 

"You  should  never  despise  the  children  of  the  poor 
and  needy,  for  none  can  tell  how  they  may  turn  out ;  for 
there  is  the  making  of  a  man  in  every  child  of  man,  and 
wit  and  wisdom  come  with  growth  and  strength." 

K 


The   Charcoal-Burner 


NCE  on  a  time  there 
was  a  charcoal-burner, 
who  had  a  son,  who 
was  a  charcoal-burner 
too.  When  the  father 
was  dead,  the  son  took 
him  a  wife ;  but  he  was 
lazy  and  would  turn  his 
hand  to  nothing.  He 
was  careless  in  mind- 
ing his  pits  too,  and 
the  end  was  no  one  would  have  him  to  burn  char- 
coal for  them. 

It  so  fell  out  that  one  day  he  had  burned  a  pit  full 
for  himself,  and  set  off  to  the  town  with  a  few  loads 
and  sold  them ;  and  when  he  had  done  selling,  he 
loitered  in  the  street  and  looked  about  him.  On  his 
way  home  he  fell  in  with  townsmen  and  neighbours, 
and  made  merry,  and  drank,  and  chattered  of  all  he 
had  seen  in  the  town.  "  The  prettiest  thing  I  saw," 
he  said,  "  was  a  great  crowd  of  priests,  and  all  the 
folks  greeted  them  and  took  off  their  hats  to  them. 

I  only  wish  I  were  a  priest  myself;  then  maybe  they 

146 


The  Char  coal- Burner  147 

would  take  off  their  hats  to  me  too.  As  it  was,  they 
looked  as  though  they  did  not  even  see  me  at  all." 

"  Well,  well ! "  said  his  friends,  "  if  you  are  nothing 
else,  you  can't  say  you're  not  as  black  as  a  priest. 
And  now  we  are  about  it,  we  can  go  to  the  sale  of 
the  old  priest,  who  is  dead,  and  have  a  glass,  and 
meanwhile  you  can  buy  his  gown  and  hood."  That 
was  what  the  neighbours  said ;  and  what  they  said  he 
did,  and  when  he  got  home  he  had  not  so  much  as 
a  penny  left. 

"  Now  you  have  both  means  and  money,  I  dare 
say,"  said  his  goody,  when  she  heard  he  had  sold  his 
charcoal. 

"  I  should  think  so.  Means,  indeed ! "  said  the 
charcoal-burner,  "for  you  must  know  I  have  been 
ordained  priest.     Here  you  see  both  gown  and  hood." 

"  Nay,  I'll  never  believe  that,"  said  the  goody ; 
"  strong  ale  makes  big  words.  You  are  just  as  bad, 
whichever  end  of  you  turns  up ;  that  you  are,"  she  said. 

"You  shall  neither  scold  nor  sorrow  for  the  pit,  for 
its  last  coal  is  quenched  and  cold,"  said  the  charcoal- 
burner. 

It  fell  out  one  day  that  many  people  in  priests'  robes 
passed  by  the  charcoal-burner's  cottage  on  their  way 
to  the  king's  palace,  so  that  it  was  easy  to  see  that 
there  was  something  in  the  wind  there.  Yes !  the  char- 
coal burner  would  go  too,  and  so  he  put  on  his  gown 
and  hood. 

His  goody  thought  it  would  be  far  better  to  stay  at 
home ;  for  even  if  he  chanced  to  hold  a  horse  for  some 
great  man,  the  drink-money  he  got  would  only  go 
down  his  throat,  like  so  much  before  it. 


1 48  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"  There  are  many,  mother,  who  talk  of  drink,"  said 
the  man,  "who  never  think  of  thirst.  All  I  know  is, 
the  more  one  drinks  the  more  one  thirsts ; "  and  with 
that  he  set  off  for  the  palace.  When  he  got  there,  all 
the  strangers  were  bidden  to  come  in,  and  the  charcoal- 
burner  followed  with  the  rest.  So  the  king  made 
them  a  speech,  and  said  he  had  lost  his  costliest  ring, 
and  was  quite  sure  it  had  been  stolen.  That  was 
why  he  had  summoned  all  the  learned  priests  in  the 
land,  to  see  if  there  were  one  of  them  who  could  tell 
him  who  the  thief  was.  And  he  made  a  vow  there 
and  then,  and  said  what  reward  he  would  give  to  the 
man  who  found  out  the  thief.  If  he  were  a  curate, 
he  should  have  a  living ;  if  he  were  a  rector,  he  should 
be  made  a  dean ;  if  he  were  a  dean,  he  should  be 
made  a  bishop ;  and  if  he  were  a  bishop,  he  should 
become  the  first  man  in  the  kingdom  after  the  king. 

So  the  king  went  round  and  round  among  them  all, 
from  one  to  the  other,  asking  them  if  they  could  find 
the  thief;  and  when  he  came  to  the  charcoal-burner  he 
said — 

"  Who  are  you  ?  " 

"  I  am  the  wise  priest  and  the  true  prophet,"  said  the 
charcoal-burner. 

"Then  you  can  tell  me,"  said  the  king,  "who  has 
taken  my  ring  ?  " 

"  Yes  !  "  said  the  charcoal-burner ;  "  it  isn't  so  right 
against  rhyme  and  reason  that  what  has  happened  in 
darkness  should  come  to  light ;  but  it  isn't  every  year 
that  salmon  spawn  in  fir-tree  tops.  Here  have  I  been 
a  curate  ibr  seven  years,  trying  to  feed  myself  and  my 
children,  and  I  haven't  got  a  living  yet.    If  that  thief  is 


The  Charcoal-Burner  149 

to  be  found  out,  I  must  have  lots  of  time  and  reams  of 
paper;  for  I  must  write  and  reckon,  and  track  him  out 
through  many  lands." 

Yes !  he  should  have  as  much  time  and  paper  as 
he  chose,  if  he  would  only  lay  his  finger  on  the  thief. 

So  they  shut  him  up  by  himself  in  a  room  in  the 
king's  palace,  and  it  was  not  long  before  they  found  out 
that  he  must  know  much  more  than  his  Lord's  Prayer; 
for  he  scribbled  over  so  much  paper  that  it  lay  in  great 
heaps  and  rolls,  and  yet  there  was  not  a  man  who 
could  make  out  a  word  of  what  he  wrote,  for  it  looked 
like  nothing  else  than  pot-hooks  and  hangers.  But,  as 
he  did  this,  time  went  on,  and  still  there  was  not  a  trace 
of  the  thief.  At  last  the  king  got  weary,  and  so  he  said 
that  if  the  priest  couldn't  find  the  thief  in  three  days 
he  should  lose  his  life. 

"  More  haste,  worse  speed.  You  can't  cart  coal  till 
the  pit  is  cool,"  said  the  charcoal-burner.  But  the  king 
stuck  to  his  word — that  he  did  ;  and  the  charcoal-burner 
felt  his  life  wasn't  worth  much 

Now  there  were  three  of  the  king's  servants  who 
waited  on  the  charcoal-burner  day  by  day  in  turn,  and 
these  three  fellows  had  stolen  the  ring  between  them. 
So  when  one  of  these  servants  came  into  the  room  and 
cleared  the  table  when  he  had  eaten  his  supper,  and  was 
going  out  again,  the  charcoal-burner  heaved  a  deep  sigh 
as  he  looked  after  him,  and  said — ■ 

"  There  goes  the  first  of  them  ! "  But  he  only 
meant  the  first  of  the  three  days  he  had  still  to  live. 

"  That  priest  knows  more  than  how  to  fill  his  mouth," 
said  the  servant,  when  he  was  alone  with  his  fellows ; 
"  for  he  said  I  was  the  first  of  them." 


150  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

The  next  day,  the  second  servant  was  to  mark  what 
the  prisoner  said  when  he  waited  on  him,  and  sure 
enough  when  he  went  out,  after  clearing  the  table,  the 
charcoal-burner  stared  him  full  in  the  face,  and  fetched 
a  deep  sigh,  and  said — 

"There  goes  the  second  of  them!" 

So  the  third  was  to  take  heed  to  what  the  charcoal- 
burner  said  on  the  third  day,  and  it  was  all  worse  and 
no  better;  for  when  the  servant  had  his  hand  on  the 
door  as  he  went  out  with  the  plates  and  dishes,  the 
charcoal-burner  clasped  his  hands  together,  and  said 
with  a  sigh  as  though  his  heart  would  break — 

"There  goes  the  third  of  them!" 

So  the  man  went  down  to  his  fellows  with  his  heart 
in  his  throat,  and  said  it  was  clear  as  day  the  priest 
knew  all  about  it;  and  so  they  all  three  went  into 
his  room  and  fell  on  their  knees  before  him,  and 
begged  and  prayed  he  would  not  say  it  was  they  who 
had  stolen  the  ring.  If  he  would  do  this,  they  were 
ready  to  give  him,  each  of  them,  a  hundred  dollars, 
if  he  would  not  bring  them  into  trouble. 

Well,  he  gave  his  word  like  a  man,  to  do  that  and 
keep  them  harmless,  if  they  would  only  give  him  the 
money  and  the  ring  and  a  great  bowl  of  porridge. 
And  what  do  you  think  he  did  with  the  ring  when 
he  gol;  it  ?  Why,  he  stuffed  it  well  down  into  the 
porridge,  and  bade  them  go  and  give  it  to  the  biggest 
pig  in  the  king's  stye. 

Next  morning  the  king  came,  and  was  in  no  mood 
for  jokes,  and  said  he  must  know  all  about  the 
thief. 

"  Well,  well !  now  1  have  written  and  reckoned  all 


The   Charcoal-Burner  1 5 1 

the  world  round,"  said  the  charcoal-burner,  "  but  it 
is  no  child  of  man  that  stole  your  majesty's  ring." 

"  Pooh  !  "  said  the  king ;  "  who  was  it,  then  ?  " 

"  It  was  the  biggest  pig  in  your  stye,"  said  the 
charcoal-burner. 

Yes !  they  killed  the  pig,  and  there  the  ring  was 
inside  it ;  there  was  no  mistake  about  that ;  and  so  the 
charcoal-burner  got  a  living,  and  the  king  was  so 
glad  he  gave  him  a  farm  and  a  horse,  and  a  hundred 
dollars  into  the  bargain. 

You  may  fancy  the  charcoal-burner  was  not  slow  in 
flitting  to  the  living,  and  the  first  Sunday  after  he  got 
there  he  was  going  to  church  to  read  himself  in ;  but 
before  he  left  his  house  he  was  to  have  his  breakfast, 
and  so  he  took  the  king's  letter  and  laid  it  on  a  bit 
of  dry  toast,  and  then,  by  mistake,  he  dipped  both 
toast  and  letter  into  his  brose,  and  when  he  found 
it  tough  to  chew,  he  gave  the  whole  morsel  to  his 
dog  Tray,  and  Tray  gobbled  up  both  toast  and  letter. 

And  now  he  scarce  knew  what  to  do  or  how  to 
turn.  To  church  he  must,  for  the  people  were  wait- 
ing ;  and  when  he  got  there,  he  went  straight  up  into 
the  pulpit.  In  the  pulpit  he  put  on  such  a  grave  face 
that  all  thought  he  was  a  grand  priest ;  but  as  the 
service  went  on,  it  was  not  so  good  after  all.  This 
was  how  he  began  : — 

"The  words,  my  brethren,  which  you  should  have 
heard  this  day  have  gone,  alas !  to  the  dogs ;  but 
come  next  Sunday,  dear  parishioners,  and  you  shall 
hear  something  else ;  and  so  this  sermon  comes  to 
an  end.     Amen  !  " 

All  the  parish  thought  they  had  got  a  strange  priest, 


152  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

for  they  had  never  heard  such  a  funny  sermon  before ; 
but  still  they  said  to  themselves,  "  He'll  be  better  per- 
haps by-and-bye,  and  if  he  isn't  better  we  shall  know 
how  to  deal  with  him." 

Next  Sunday,  when  there  was  service  again,  the 
church  was  so  crowded  full  with  folk  who  wished  to 
hear  the  new  priest  that  there  was  scarce  standing- 
room.  Well,  he  came  again,  and  went  straight  up 
into  the  pulpit,  and  there  he  stood  awhile  and  said 
never  a  word.  But  all  at  once  he  burst  out,  and 
bawled  at  the  top  of  his  voice — 

"  Hearken  to  me,  old  Nannygoat  Bridget !  Why  in 
the  world  do  you  sit  so  far  back  in  the  church  ?  " 

"  Oh,  your  reverence,"  said  she,  "  if  you  must  know, 
it's  because  my  shoes  are  all  in  holes." 

"  That's  no  reason ;  for  you  might  take  an  old  bit  of 
pig-skin  and  stitch  yourself  new  shoes,  and  then  you 
could  also  come  far  forward  in  the  church,  like  the 
other  fine  ladies.  For  the  rest,  you  all  ought  to  bethink 
yourselves  of  the  way  you  are  going ;  for  I  see  when 
ye  come  to  church,  some  of  you  come  from  the  north 
and  some  from  the  south,  and  it  is  the  same  when  you 
go  from  church  again.  But  sometimes  ye  stand  and 
loiter  on  the  way,  and  then  it  may  well  be  asked, 
'  What  will  become  of  you  ?  '  Yea  !  who  can  tell  what 
will  become  of  every  one  of  us  ?  By  the  way,  I  have 
to  give  notice  of  a  black  mare  which  has  strayed  from 
the  old  priest's  widow.  She  has  hair  on  her  fetlocks 
and  a  falling  mane,  and  other  marks  which  I  will 
not  name  in  this  place.  Besides,  I  may  tell  you  I 
have  a  hole  in  my  old  breeches-pocket,  and  I  know  it, 
but  you  do  not  know  it ;  and  another  thing  you  do  not 


The  Char  coal-Burner  153 

know,  and  which  I  do  not  know,  is  whether  any  of  you 
has  a  bit  of  cloth  to  patch  that  hole.     Amen." 

Some  few  of  the  hearers  were  very  well  pleased 
with  this  sermon.  They  thought  it  sure  he  would 
make  a  brave  priest  in  time;  but,  to  tell  the  truth, 
most  of  them  thought  it  too  bad,  and  when  the  dean 
came  they  complained  of  the  priest,  and  said  no  one 
had  ever  heard  such  sermons  before,  and  there  was 
even  one  of  them  who  knew  the  last  by  heart,  and 
wrote  it  down  and  read  it  to  the  dean. 

"  I  call  it  a  very  good  sermon,"  said  the  dean,  "  for 
it  was  likely  that  he  spoke  in  parables  as  to  seeking 
light  and  shunning  darkness  and  its  deeds,  and  as  to 
those  who  were  walking  either  on  the  broad  or  the 
strait  path ;  but  most  of  all,"  he  said,  "  that  was  a 
grand  parable  when  he  gave  that  notice  about  the 
priest's  black  mare,  and  how  it  would  fare  with  us 
all  at  the  last.  The  pocket  with  the  hole  in  it  was 
to  show  the  need  of  the  church,  and  the  piece  of 
cloth  to  patch  it  was  the  gifts  and  offerings  of  the 
congregation."     That  was  what  the  dean  said. 

'As  for  the  parish,  what  they  said  was,  "  Ay !  ay ! 
so  much  we  could  understand  that  it  was  to  go  into 
the  priest's  pocket." 

The  end  was,  the  dean  said  he  thought  the  parish 
had  got  such  a  good  and  understanding  priest,  there 
was  no  fault  to  find  with  him,  and  so  they  had  to  make 
the  best  of  him;  but  after  awhile,  as  he  got  worse 
instead  of  better,  they  complained  of  him  to  the 
bishop. 

Well !  sooner  or  later  the  bishop  came,  and  there 
was  to  be  a  visitation.     But,  the  day  before,  the  priest 


154  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

had  gone  into  the  church,  unbeknown  to  anybody,  and 
sawed  the  props  of  the  pulpit  all  but  in  two,  so  that  it 
would  only  just  hang  together  if  one  went  up  into 
it  very  carefully.  So  when  the  people  were  gathered 
together  and  he  was  to  preach  before  the  bishop,  he 
crept  up  into  the  pulpit  and  began  to  expound  as  he  was 
wont ;  and  when  he  had  gone  on  awhile,  he  got  more 
in  earnest,  threw  his  arms  about  and  bawled  out — 

"  If  there  be  any  here  who  is  wicked  or  given  to  ill 
deeds,  it  were  better  he  left  this  place ;  for  this  very 
day  there  shall  be  a  fall,  such  as  hath  not  been  seen 
since  the  world  began." 

With  that  he  struck  the  reading-desk  like  thunder, 
and  lo !  the  desk  and  the  priest  and  the  whole  pulpit 
tumbled  down  on  the  floor  of  the  church  with  such  a 
crash,  that  the  whole  congregation  ran  out  of  church 
as  if  doomsday  were  at  their  heels. 

But  then  the  bishop  told  the  fault-finders  he  was 
amazed  that  they  dared  to  complain  of  a  priest  who 
had  such  gifts  in  the  pulpit,  and  so  much  wisdom  that 
he  could  foresee  things  about  to  happen.  For  his 
part,  he  thought  he  ought  to  be  a  dean  at  least,  and  it 
was  not  long  either  before  he  was  a  dean.  So  there 
was  no  help  for  it ;  they  had  to  put  up  with  him. 

Now  it  so  happened  that  the  king  and  queen  had  no 
children  ;  but  when  the  king  heard  that  perhaps  there 
was  one  coming,  he  was  eager  to  know  if  it  would  be 
an  heir  to  his  crown  and  realm,  or  if  it  would  only  be 
a  princess.  So  all  the  wise  men  in  the  land  were 
gathered  to  the  palace,  that  they  might  say  beforehand 
what  it  would  be.  But  when  there  was  not  a  man  of 
them  that  could  say  that,  both  the  king  and  the  bishop 


The  Charcoal-Burner 


*s$ 


thought  of  the  charcoal-burner,  and  it  was  not  long 
before  they  got  him  between  them,  and  asked  him 
about  it.  "No!"  he  said,  "that  was  past  his  power, 
for  it  was  not  good  to  guess  at  what  no  man  alive  could 
know." 

"All  very  fine,  I  dare  say,"  said  the  king.  "It's  all 
the  same  to  me,  of  course,  if  you  know  it  or  if  you 
don't  know  it ;  but,  you  know,  you  are  the  wise  priest 


and  the  true  prophet  who  can  foretell  things  to  come; 
and  all  I  can  say  is,  if  you  don't  tell  it  me,  you  shall 
lose  your  gown.  And,  now  I  think  of  it,  I'll  try  you 
first." 

So  he  took  the  biggest  silver  tankard  he  had  and 
went  down  to  the  seashore,  and  in  a  little  while  called 
the  priest. 

"  If  you  can  tell  me  now  what  there  is  in  this  tankard," 
said  the  king,  "you  will  be  able  to  tell  n.e  the  other 


156  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


also ; "  and  as  he  said  this,  he  held  the  lid  of  the 
tankard  tight. 

The  charcoal-burner  only  wrung  his  hands  and  be- 
moaned himself. 

"  Oh !  you  most  wretched  crab  and  cripple  on  this 
earth,"  he  cried  out,  "  this  is  what  all  your  back- 
slidings  and  sidelong  tricks  have  brought  on  you." 

"Ah  !  "  cried  out  the  king,  "  how  could  you  say  you 
did  not  know  ?  "  for  you  must  know  he  had  a  crab  in 
the  tankard.  So  the  charcoal-burner  had  to  go  into 
the  parlour  to  the  queen.  He  took  a  chair  and  sat 
down  in  the  middle  of  the  floor,  while  the  queen 
walked  up  and  down  the  room. 

"  One  should  never  count  one's  chickens  before  they 
are  hatched,  and  never  quarrel  about  a  baby's  name 
before  it  is  born,"  said  the  charcoal-burner;  "but  I 
never  heard  or  saw  such  a  thing  before  !  When  the 
queen  comes  toward  me,  I  almost  think  it  will  be  a 
prince,  and  when  she  goes  away  from  me  it  looks  as 
if  it  would  be  a  princess." 

Lo !  when  the  time  came,  it  was  both  a  prince  and  a 
princess,  for  twins  were  born ;  and  so  the  charcoal- 
burner  had  hit  the  mark  that  time  too.  And  because 
he  could  tell  that  which  no  man  could  know,  he  got 
money  in  carts  full,  and  was  the  next  man  to  the  king 
in  the  realm. 

"  Trip,  trap,  trill, 
A  man  is  often  more  than  he  will." 


The   Box  with  Something 
Pretty  in  it 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  little  boy  who  was 
out  walking  on  the  road,  and  when  he  had 
walked  a  bit  he  found  a  box. 

"  I  am  sure  there  must  be  something  pretty  in  this 
box,"  he  said  to  himself;  but  however  much  he  turned 
it,  and  however  much  he  twisted  it, 
he  was  not  able  to  get  it  open. 

But  when  he  had  walked  a  bit 
farther,  he  found  a  little  tiny  key. 
Then  he  got  tired  and  sat  down,  and 
all  at  once  he  thought  what  fun  it 
would  be  if  the  key  fitted  the  box, 
for  it  had  a  little  keyhole  in  it.  So 
he  took  the  little  key  out  of  his 
pocket,  and  then  he  blew  first  into 
the  pipe  of  the  key,  and  afterwards 
into  the  keyhole,  and  then  he  put 
the  key  into  the  keyhole  and  turned 
it.  "  Snap  !  "  it  went  within  the  lock  ; 
and  when  he  tried  the  hasp,  the  box 
was  open. 

But  can  you  guess  what  there  was  in  the  box  ?  Why, 
a  cow's  tail ;  and  if  the  cow's  tail  had  been  longer,  this 
story  would  have  been  longer  too. 

157 


The  Three  Lemons 


^\  NCE  on  a  time  there  were 
three    brothers,    who    had 
^^^  -     ■    ^     l°st  their  parents;  and  as 

W!rW  /    J%0^~\  tney  ^ac^   ^e^  nothing  be- 

ll zx^rT   ^  hind    them    on    which    the 

lads  could  live,  they  had 
to  go  out  into  the  world  to 
try  their  luck.  The  two 
elder  fitted  themselves  out 
as  well  as  they  could  ;  but  the  youngest,  whom  they 
called  Taper  Tom,  because  he  always  sat  in  the 
chimney-corner  and  held  tapers  of  pine-wood,  him 
they  would  not  have  with  them. 

The  two  set  out  early  in  the  grey  dawn ;  but,  how- 
ever fast  they  went,  or  did  not  go,  Taper  Tom  came 
just  as  soon  as  the  others  to  the  king's  palace.  So 
when  they  got  there,  they  asked  for  work.  The  king 
said  he  had  nothing  for  them  to  do ;  but  as  they  were 
so  pressing,  he'd  see  if  he  could  not  find  them  some- 
thing— there  must  be  always  something  to  do  in  such 
a  big  house.  Yes  !  they  might  drive  nails  into  the 
wall ;  and  when  they  had  done  driving  them  in,  they 
might  pull  them  out  again.     When  they  had  done  that, 

they  might  carry  wood  and  water  into  the  kitchen. 

158 


The  Three  Lemons  159 

Taper  Tom  was  the  handiest  in  driving  nails  into 
the  wall  and  in  pulling  them  out  again,  and  he  was  the 
handiest  also  in  carrying  wood  and  water.  So  his 
brothers  were  jealous  of  him,  and  said  he  had  given 
out  that  he  was  good  enough  to  get  the  king  the 
prettiest  princess  who  was  to  be  found  in  the  twelve 
kingdoms  ;  for  you  must  know  the  king  had  lost  his 
old  dame  and  was  a  widower.  When  the  king  heard 
that,  he  told  Taper  Tom  he  must  do  what  he  had  said, 
or  else  he  would  make  them  lay  him  on  the  block  and 
chop  his  head  off. 

Taper  Tom  answered  he  had  never  said  nor 
thought  anything  of  the  kind,  but,  as  the  king  was  so 
stern,  he  would  try  what  he  could  do.  So  he  got  him 
a  scrip  of  food  over  his  shoulders,  and  set  off  from  the 
palace ;  but  he  had  not  gone  far  on  the  road  before  he 
grew  hungry,  and  wanted  to  taste  the  food  they  had 
given  him  when  he  set  out.  So  when  he  had  seated 
himself  to  rest  at  his  ease  under  a  spruce  by  the  road- 
side, up  came  an  old  hag  hobbling,  who  asked  what  he 
had  in  his  scrip. 

"  Salt  meat  and  fresh  meat,"  said  the  lad.  "  If  you 
are  hungry,  granny,  come  and  take  a  snack  with  me." 

Yes !  She  thanked  him,  and  then  she  said  may 
be  she  would  do  him  a  good  turn  herself;  and  away 
she  hobbled  through  the  wood.  So  when  Taper  Tom 
had  eaten  his  fill  and  had  rested,  he  threw  his  scrip 
over  his  shoulder  and  set  off  again  ;  but  he  had  not 
gone  far  before  he  found  a  pipe.  That,  he  thought, 
would  be  nice  to  have  with  him  and  play  on  by  the 
way ;  and  it  was  not  long  before  he  brought  the  sound 
out  of  it,  you  may  fancy.     But  then  there  came  about 


i6o 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


him  such  a  swarm  of  little  Trolls,  and  each  asked  the 
other  in  full  cry — 

"  What  has  my  lord  to  order  ?  What  has  my  lord 
to  order  ?  " 

Taper  Tom  said  he  never  knew  he  was  lord  over 
them  ;  but  if  he  was  to  order  anything,  he  wished  they 
would  fetch  him  the  prettiest  princess  to  be  found  in 


twelve  kingdoms.  Yes !  that  was  no  great  thing,  the 
little  Trolls  thought ;  they  knew  well  enough  where 
she  was,  and  they  could  show  him  the  way,  and  then 
he  might  go  and  get  her  for  himself,  for  they  had  no 
power  to  touch  her. 

Then  they  showed  him  the  way,  and  he  got  to  the 
end  of  his  journey  well  and  happily.  There  was  not 
any  one  who  laid  so  much  as  two  sticks  across  in  his 
way.     It  was  a  Troll's  castle,  and  in  it  sat  three  lovely 


The  Three  Lemons  1 6 1 

princesses ;  but  as  soon  as  ever  Taper  Tom  came  in, 
they  all  lost  their  wits  for  fear,  and  ran  about  like 
scared  Iambs,  and  all  at  once  they  were  turned  into 
three  lemons  that  lay  in  the  window.  Taper  Tom  was 
so  sorry  and  unhappy  at  that,  he  scarce  knew  which 
way  to  turn.  But  when  he  had  thought  a  little,  he 
took  and  put  the  lemons  into  his  pocket,  for  he 
thought  they  would  be  good  to  have  if  he  got  thirsty 
by  the  way,  for  he  had  heard  say  lemons  were  sour. 

So  when  he  had  gone  a  bit  of  the  way,  he  got  so  hot 
and  thirsty ;  water  was  not  to  be  had,  and  he  did  not 
know  what  he  should  do  to  quench  his  thirst.  So 
he  fell  to  thinking  of  the  lemons,  and  took  one  of 
them  out  and  bit  a  hole  in  it.  But  lo !  inside  sat  the 
princess  as  far  as  her  armpits,  and  screamed  out — 

"  Water  ! — water  !  "  Unless  she  got  water,  she  must 
die,  she  said. 

Yes  !  the  lad  ran  about  looking  for  water  as  though 
he  were  a  mad  thing;  but  there  was  no  water  to  be 
got,  and  all  at  once  the  princess  was  dead. 

So  when  he  had  gone  a  bit  farther,  he  got  still  hotter 
and  thirstier ;  and  as  he  could  find  nothing  to  quench 
his  thirst,  he  pulled  out  the  second  lemon  and  bit  a  hole 
in  it.  Inside  it  was  also  a  princess,  sitting  as  far  as 
her  armpits,  and  she  was  still  lovelier  than  the  first. 
She,  too,  screamed  for  water,  and  said  if  she  could  not 
get  it  she  must  die  outright.  So  Taper  Tom  hunted 
under  stone  and  moss,  but  he  could  find  no  water;  and 
so  the  end  was  the  second  princess  died  too. 

Taper  Tom  thought  things  got  worse  and  worse,  and 
so  it  was,  for  the  farther  he  went  the  hotter  it  got.  The 
earth  was  so  dry  and  burnt  up,  there  was  not  a  drop 


1 62  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

of  water  to  be  found,  and  he  was  not  far  off  being  half 
dead  of  thirst.  He  kept  himself  as  long  as  he  could 
from  biting  a  hole  in  the  lemon  he  still  had,  but  at  last 
there  was  no  help  for  it.  So  when  he  had  bitten  the 
hole,  there  sat  a  princess  inside  it  also ;  she  was  the 
loveliest  in  twelve  kingdoms,  and  she  screamed  out  if 
she  could  not  get  water  she  must  die  at  once.  So  Taper 
Tom  ran  about  hunting  for  water;  and  this  time  he  fell 
upon  the  king's  miller,  and  he  showed  him  the  way  to 
the  mill-dam.  So  when  he  came  to  the  dam  with  her 
and  gave  her  some  water,  she  came  quite  out  of  the 
lemon,  and  was  stark  naked.  So  Taper  Tom  had  to 
let  her  have  the  wrap  he  had  to  throw  over  her,  and 
then  she  hid  herself  up  a  tree  while  he  went  up  to  the 
king's  palace  to  fetch  her  clothes,  and  to  tell  the  king 
how  he  had  got  her,  and,  in  a  word,  told  him  the  whole 
story. 

But  while  this  was  going  on,  the  cook  came  down  to 
the  mill-dam  to  fetch  water;  and  when  she  saw  the 
lovely  face  which  played  on  the  water,  she  thought  it 
was  her  own,  and  grew  so  glad  she  fell  a-dancing  and 
jumping  because  she  had  grown  so  pretty. 

"The  de'il  carry  water,"  she  cried,  "since  I  am  so 
pretty  ;  "  and  away  she  threw  the  water-buckets.  But 
in  a  little  while  she  got  to  see  that  the  face  in  the 
mill-dam  belonged  to  the  princess  who  sat  up  in  the 
tree ;  and  then  she  got  so  cross,  that  she  tore  her 
down  from  the  tree,  and  threw  her  out  into  the  dam. 
But  she  herself  put  on  Taper  Tom's  cloak,  and  crept 
up  into  the  tree. 

So  when  the  king  came  and  set  eyes  on  the  ugly 
swarthy  kitchen-maid,  he  turned  white  and  red ;  but 


"  I  am  so  pretty. " 


The  Three  Lemons 


'65 


when  he  heard  how  they  said  she  was  the  loveliest 
in  twelve  kingdoms,  he  thought  he  could  not  help  be- 
lieving there  must  be   something  in  it;   and   besides, 


he  felt  for  poor  Taper  Tom,  who  had  taken  so  much 
pains  to  get  her  for  him. 

"  She'll  get  better,  perhaps,  as  time  goes  on,"  he 
thought,  "when  she  ia  dressed  smartly  and  wears 
fine  clothes ;  "  and  so  he  took  her  home  with  him. 

Then  they  sent  for  all  the  wig-makers  and  needle- 


i6fc  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

women,  and  she  was  dressed  and  clad  like  a  princess ; 
but  for  all  they  washed  and  dressed  her,  she  was  still 
as  ugly  and  black  as  ever. 

After  a  while  the  kitchen-maid  was  to  go  to  the  dam 
to  fetch  water,  and  then  she  caught  a  great  silver 
fish  in  her  bucket.  She  bore  it  up  to  the  palace,  and 
showed  it  to  the  king,  and  he  thought  it  grand  and 
fine ;  but  the  ugly  princess  said  it  was  some  witch- 
craft, and  they  must  burn  it,  for  she  soon  saw  what 
it  was.  Well !  the  fish  was  burnt,  and  next  morning 
they  found  a  lump  of  silver  in  the  ashes.  So  the  cook 
came  and  told  it  to  the  king,  and  he  thought  it  passing 
strange;  but  the  princess  said  it  was  all  witchcraft, 
and  bade  them  bury  it  in  the  dung-heap.  The  king 
was  much  against  it ;  but  she  left  him  neither  rest  nor 
peace,  and  so  he  said  at  last  they  might  do  it. 

But  lo !  next  day  stood  a  tall  lovely  linden  tree  on 
the  spot  where  they  had  buried  the  lump  of  silver,  and 
that  linden  had  leaves  which  gleamed  like  silver.  So 
when  they  told  the  king  that,  he  thought  it  passing 
strange ;  but  the  princess  said  it  was  nothing  but 
witchcraft,  and  they  must  cut  down  the  linden  at  once. 
The  king  was  against  that;  but  the  princess  plagued 
him  so  long  that  at  last  he  had  to  give  way  to  her  in 
this  also. 

But  lo !  when  the  lasses  went  out  to  gather  the  chips 
of  the  linden  to  light  the  fires,  they  were  pure  silver. 

"It  isn't  worth  while,"  one  of  them  said,  "to  say 
anything  about  this  to  the  king  or  the  princess,  or  else 
they  too  will  be  burnt  and  melted.  It  is  better  to 
hide  them  in  our  drawers.  They  will  be  good  to  have 
when  a  lover  comes,  and  we  are  going  to  marry." 


The  Three  Lemons  167 

Yes!  they  were  all  of  one  mind  as  to  that;  but 
when  they  had  borne  the  chips  awhile,  they  grew  so 
fearfully  heavy  that  they  could  not  help  looking  to  see 
what  it  was ;  and  then  they  found  the  chips  had  been 
changed  into  a  child,  and  it  was  not  long  before  it  grew 
into  the  loveliest  princess  you  ever  set  eyes  on. 

The  lasses  could  see  very  well  that  something  wrong 
lay  under  all  this.  So  they  got  her  clothes,  and  flew 
off  to  find  the  lad  who  was  to  fetch  the  loveliest  prin- 
cess in  twelve  kingdoms,  and  told  him  their  story. 

So  when  Taper  Tom  came,  the  princess  told  him 
her  story,  and  how  the  cook  had  come  and  torn  her 
from  the  tree  and  thrown  her  into  the  dam ;  and  how 
she  had  been  the  silver  fish,  and  the  silver  lump,  and 
the  linden,  and  the  chips,  and  how  she  was  the  true 
princess. 

It  was  not  so  easy  to  get  the  king's  ear,  for  the  ugly 
black  cook  hung  over  him  early  and  late ;  but  at  last 
they  made  out  a  story,  and  said  that  a  challenge  had 
come  from  a  neighbour  king,  and  so  they  got  him  out ; 
and  when  he  came  to  see  the  lovely  princess,  he  was 
so  taken  with  her,  he  was  for  holding  the  bridal  feast 
on  the  spot ;  and  when  he  heard  how  badly  the  ugly 
black  cook  had  behaved  to  her,  he  said  they  should 
take  her  and  roll  her  down-hill  in  a  cask  full  of  nails. 
Then  they  kept  the  bridal  feast  at  such  a  rate  that  it 
was  heard  and  talked  of  over  twelve  kingdoms. 


The    Priest  and   the    Clerk 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  priest  who  was  such 
a  bully  that  he  bawled  out,  ever  so  far  off, 
whenever  he  met  any  one  driving  on  the  king's 
highway — 

"  Out  of  the  way  !  out  of  the  way  !  Here  comes  the 
priest ! " 

One  day  when  he  was  driving  along  and  behaving 
so,  he  met  the  king  himself 

"  Out  of  the  way !  out  of  the  way !  "  he  bawled  a 
long  way  off.  But  the  king  drove  on  and  kept  his 
own ;  so  that  time  it  was  the  priest  who  had  to  turn 
his  horse  aside,  «nd  when  the  king  came  alongside 
him,  he  said,  "To-morrow  you  shall  come  to  me  to 
the  palace,  and  if  you  can't  answer  three  questions 
which  I  will  set  you,  you  shall  lose  hood  and  gown 
for  your  pride's  sake." 

This  was  something  else  than  the  priest  was  wont 
to  hear.  He  could  bawl  and  bully,  shout,  and  behave 
worse  than  badly.  All  THAT  he  could  do,  but  ques- 
tion and  answer  was  out  of  his  power.  So  he  set  off 
to  the  clerk,  who  was  said  to  be  better  in  a  gown  than 
the  priest  himself,  and  told  him  he  had  no  mind  to  go 
to  the  king. 

168 


The  Priest  and  the  Clerk 


169 


"  For  one  fool  can  ask  more  than  ten  wise  men  can 
answer ; "  and  the  end  was,  he  got  the  clerk  to  go  in 
his  stead. 

Yes !  the  clerk  set  off,  and  came  to  the  palace  in 
the  priest's  gown  and  hood.     There  the  king  met  him 


1  'til'. — dlU'Jii|lllll'l!llmni!imi«miii:ili::«"iii i./uhmh-VJ,'- 

1  QjSS  >> '  •  ill' 

ffftei\   Mill  l|lll|lll|ll||fll|IIIIIIIIMIIPI|||HI|ll«MIII  III  illlllllllllllllllllllll/IHH1"'"' 


out  in  the  porch  with  crown  and  sceptre,  and  was  so 
grand,  it  glittered  and  gleamed  from  him. 

"  Well !  are  you  there  ?  "  said  the  king. 

Yes ;  he  was  there,  sure  enough. 

"Tell  me  first,"  said  the  king,  "how  far  the  east  is 
from  the  west  ?  " 

"Just  a  day's  journey,"  said  the  clerk. 

"  How  is  that  ?  "  asked  the  king-. 


1 70  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"Don't  you  know,"  said  the  clerk,  "that  the  sun 
rises  in  the  east  and  sets  in  the  west,  and  he  does  it 
just  nicely  in  one  day  ?  " 

"Very  well!"  said  the  king;  "but  tell  me  now 
what  you  think  I  am  worth,  as  you  see  me  stand 
here  ?  " 

"  Well,"  said  the  clerk,  "  our  Lord  was  valued  at 
thirty  pieces  of  silver,  so  I  don't  think  I  can  set  your 
price  higher  than  twenty-nine." 

"All  very  fine!"  said  the  king;  "but  as  you  are 
so  wise,  perhaps  you  can  tell  me  what  I  am  thinking 
about  now  ?  " 

"Oh!"  said  the  clerk,  "you  are  thinking  it's  the 
priest  who  stands  before  you ;  but  so  help  me  if  you 
don't  think  wrong,  for  I  am  the  clerk." 

"  Be  off  home  with  you,"  said  the  king,  "and  be  you 
priest,  and  let  him  be  clerk ; "  and  so  it  was. 


Friends  in  Life  and   Death 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  were  two  young  men  who 
were  such  great  friends  that  they  swore  to  one 
another  they  would  never  part,  either  in  life  or 
death.  One  of  them  died  before  he  was  at  all  old,  and 
a  little  while  after  the  other  wooed  a  farmer's  daughter, 
and  was  to  be  married  to  her.  So  when  they  were 
bidding  guests  to  the  wedding,  the  bridegroom  went 
himself  to  the  churchyard  where  his  friend  lay,  and 
knocked  at  his  grave  and  called  him  by  name.  No  !  he 
neither  answered  nor  came.  He  knocked  again,  and  he 
called  again,  but  no  one  came.  A  third  time  he  knocked 
louder  and  called  louder  to  him,  to  come  that  he  might 


IJ1  Taks  from  the  Fjeld 

talk  to  him.  So,  after  a  long,  long  time,  he  heard  a 
rustling,  and  at  last  the  dead  man  came  up  out  of  the 
grave. 

"  It  was  well  you  came  at  last,"  said  the  bridegroom, 
"  for  I  have  been  standing  here  ever  so  long,  knocking 
and  calling  for  you." 

"  I  was  a  long  way  off,"  said  the  dead  man,  "  so 
that  I  did  not  quite  hear  you  till  the  last  time  you 
called." 

"All  right!"  said  the  bridegroom;  "but  I  am  going 
to  stand  bridegroom  to-day,  and  you  mind  well,  I  dare 
say,  what  we  used  to  talk  about,  and  how  we  were 
to  stand  by  each  other  at  our  weddings  as  best  man." 

"I  mind  it  well,"  said  the  dead  man,  "but  you  must 
wait  a  bit  till  I  have  made  myself  a  little  smart ;  and, 
after  all,  no  one  can  say  I  have  on  a  wedding  garment." 

The  lad  was  hard  put  to  it  for  time,  for  he  was  over- 
due at  home  to  meet  the  guests,  and  it  was  all  but  time 
to  go  to  church ;  but  still  he  had  to  wait  awhile  and  let 
the  dead  man  go  into  a  room  by  himself,  as  he  begged, 
so  that  he  might  brush  himself  up  a  bit,  and  come 
smart  to  church  like  the  rest ;  for,  of  course,  he  was  to 
go  with  the  bridal  train  to  church. 

Yes !  the  dead  man  went  with  him  both  to  church 
and  from  church,  but  when  they  had  got  so  far  on  with 
the  wedding  that  they  had  taken  off  the  bride's  crown, 
he  said  he  must  go.  So,  for  old  friendship's  sake,  the 
bridegroom  said  he  would  go  with  him  to  the  grave 
again.  And  as  they  walked  to  the  churchyard  the 
bridegroom  asked  his  friend  if  he  had  seen  much  that 
was  wonderful,  or  heard  anything  that  was  pleasant  to 
know. 


Friends  in  Life  and  Death  173 

"  Yes !  that  I  have,"  said  the  dead  man.  "  I  have 
seen  much,  and  heard  many  strange  things." 

"  That  must  be  fine  to  see,"  said  the  bridegroom. 
"  Do  you  know,  I  have  a  mind  to  go  along  with  you, 
and  see  all  that  with  my  own  eyes." 

"You  are  quite  welcome,"  said  the  dead  man;  "  but 
it  may  chance  that  you  may  be  away  some  time." 

"So  it  might,"  said  the  bridegroom;  but  for  all  that 
he  would  go  down  into  the  grave. 

But  before  they  went  down  the  dead  man  took  and 
cut  a  turf  out  of  the  graveyard  and  put  it  on  the 
young  man's  head.  Down  and  down  they  went,  far 
and  far  away,  through  dark,  silent  wastes,  across 
wood,  and  moor,  and  bog,  till  they  came  to  a  great, 
heavy  gate,  which  opened  to  them  as  soon  as  the  dead 
man  touched  it.  Inside  it  began  to  grow  lighter,  first 
as  though  it  were  moonshine,  and  the  farther  they 
went  the  lighter  it  got.  At  last  they  got  to  a  spot 
where  there  were  such  green  hills,  knee-deep  in  grass, 
and  on  them  fed  a  large  herd  of  kine,  who  grazed 
as  they  went ;  but  for  all  they  ate  those  kine  looked 
poor,  and  thin,  and  wretched. 

"  What's  all  this  ?  "  said  the  lad  who  had  been  bride- 
groom ;  "  why  are  they  so  thin  and  in  such  bad  case, 
though  they  eat,  every  one  of  them,  as  though  they  were 
well  paid  to  eat  ?  " 

"This  is  a  likeness  of  those  who  never  can  have 
enough,  though  they  rake  and  scrape  it  together  ever 
so  much,"  said  the  dead  man. 

So  they  journeyed  on  far  and  farther  than  far,  till 
they  came  to  some  hill  pastures,  where  there  was 
naught  but  bare  rocks  and  stones,  with  here  and  there 


174  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

a  blade  of  grass.  Here  was  grazing  another  herd  of 
kine,  which  were  so  sleek,  and  fat,  and  smooth  that 
their  coats  shone  again. 

"What  are  these,"  asked  the  bridegroom,  "who 
have  so  little  to  live  on,  and  yet  are  in  such  good 
plight  ?     I  wonder  what  they  can  be." 

"This,"  said  the  dead  man,  "is  a  likeness  of  those 
who  are  content  with  the  little  they  have,  however 
poor  it  be." 

So  they  went  farther  and  farther  on  till  they  came 
to  a  great  lake,  and  it  and  all  about  it  was  so  bright 
and  shining  that  the  bridegroom  could  scarce  bear  to 
look  at  it — it  was  so  dazzling. 

"  Now,  you  must  sit  down  here,"  said  the  dead  man, 
"till  I  come  back.     I  shall  be  away  a  little  while." 

With  that  he  set  off,  and  the  bridegroom  sat  down, 
and  as  he  sat  sleep  fell  on  him,  and  he  forgot  every- 
thing in  sweet  deep  slumber.  After  a  while  the  dead 
man  came  back. 

"  It  was  good  of  you  to  sit  still  here,  so  that  I  could 
find  you  again." 

But  when  the  bridegroom  tried  to  get  up,  he  was  all 
overgrown  with  moss  and  bushes,  so  that  he  found 
himself  sitting  in  a  thicket  of  thorns  and  brambles. 

So  when  he  had  made  his  way  out  of  it,  they 
journeyed  back  again,  and  the  dead  man  led  him  by 
the  same  way  to  the  brink  of  the  grave.  There  they 
parted  and  said  farewell,  and  as  soon  as  the  bride- 
groom got  out  of  the  grave  he  went  straight  home  to 
the  house  where  the  wedding  was. 

But  when  he  got  where  he  thought  the  house  stood, 
he  could  not  find  his  way.     Then  he  looked  about  on 


Friends  in  Life  and  Death  175 

all  sides,  and  asked  every  one  he  met,  but  he  could 
neither  hear  nor  learn  anything  of  the  bride,  or  the 
wedding,  or  his  kindred,  or  his  father  and  mother; 
nay,  he  could  not  so  much  as  find  any  one  whom  he 
knew.  And  all  he  met  wondered  at  the  strange  shape, 
who  went  about  and  looked  for  all  the  world  like  a 
scarecrow. 

Well !  as  he  could  find  no  one  he  knew,  he  made 
his  way  to  the  priest,  and  told  him  of  his  kinsmen  and 
all  that  had  happened  up  to  the  time  he  stood  bride- 
groom, and  how  he  had  gone  away  in  the  midst  of  his 
wedding.  But  the  priest  knew  nothing  at  all  about 
it  at  first;  but  when  he  had  hunted  in  his  old  registers, 
he  found  out  that  the  marriage  he  spoke  of  had  hap- 
pened a  long,  long  time  ago,  and  that  all  the  folk  he 
talked  of  had  lived  four  hundred  years  before. 

In  that  time  there  had  grown  up  a  great  stout  oak 
in  the  priest's  yard,  and  when  he  saw  it  he  clambered 
up  into  it,  that  he  might  look  about  him.  But  the 
greybeard  who  had  sat  in  heaven  and  slumbered  for 
four  hundred  years,  and  had  now  at  last  come  back, 
did  not  come  down  from  the  oak  as  well  as  he  went 
up.  He  was  stiff  and  gouty,  as  was  likely  enough ; 
and  so  when  he  was  coming  down  he  made  a  false 
step,  fell  down,  broke  his  neck,  and  that  was  the  end 
of  him. 


The   Father  of  the   Family 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  man  who  was  out 
on  a  journey ;  so  at  last  he  came  to  a  big  and 
a  fine  farm,  and  there  was  a  house  so  grand 
that  it  might  well  have  been  a  little  palace. 

"  Here  it  would  be  good  to  get  leave  to  spend  the 
night,"  said  the  man  to  himself,  as  he  went  inside  the 
gate.  Hard  by  stood  an  old  man  with  grey  hair  and 
beard,  who  was  hewing  wood. 

"  Good  evening,  father,"  said  the  wayfarer.  "  Can  I 
have  house-room  here  to-night  ?  " 

"  I'm  not  father  in  the  house,"  said  the  greybeard. 
"  Go  into  the  kitchen,  and  talk  to  my  father." 

The  wayfarer  went  into  the  kitchen,  and  there  he 
met  a  man  who  was  still  older,  and  he  lay  on  his  knees 
before  the  hearth,  and  was  blowing  up  the  fire. 

"Good  evening,  father,"  said  the  wayfarer.  "Can  I 
get  house-room  to-night  ?  " 

"  I'm  not  father  in  the  house,"  said  the  old  man ; 
"but  go  in  and  talk  to  my  father.  You'll  find  him 
sitting  at  the  table  in  the  parlour." 

So  the  wayfarer  went  into  the  parlour,  and  talked  to 

him  who  sat  at  the  table.     He  was  much  older  than 

either  of  the  other  two,  and  there  he  sat,  with  his  teeth 

i76 


The  Father  of  the  Family  I  jj 

chattering,  and  shivered  and  shook,  and  read  out  of  a 
big  book,  almost  like  a  little  child. 

"  Good  evening,  father,"  said  the  man.  "Will  you 
let  me  have  house-room  here  to-night  ?  " 

"  I'm  not  father  in  the  house,"  said  the  man  who  sat 
at  the  table,  whose  teeth  chattered,  and  who  shivered 
and  shook  ;  "  but  speak  to  my  father  yonder — he  who 
sits  on  the  bench." 

So  the  wayfarer  went  to  him  who  sat  on  the  bench, 
and  he  was  trying  to  fill  himself  a  pipe  of  tobacco  ;  but 
he  was  so  withered  up  and  his  hands  shook  so  with  the 
palsy  that  he  could  scarce  hold  the  pipe. 

"Good  evening,  father,"  said  the  wayfarer  again. 
"  Can  I  get  house-room  here  to-night  ?  " 

"  I'm  not.  father  in  the  house,"  said  the  old  withered 
fellow ;  "  but  speak  to  my  father  who  lies  in  bed 
yonder." 

So  the  wayfarer  went  to  the  bed,  and  there  lay  an 
old,  old  man,  who  but  for  his  pair  of  big  staring  eyes 
scarcely  looked  alive. 

"Good  evening,  father,"  said  the  wayfarer.  "Can  I 
get  house-room  here  to-night  ?  " 

"  I'm  not  father  in  the  house,"  said  the  old  carle  with 
the  big  eyes ;  "  but  go  and  speak  to  my  father,  who 
lies  yonder  in  the  cradle." 

Yes,  the  wayfarer  went  to  the  cradle,  and  there  lay 
a  carle  as  old  as  the  hills,  so  withered  and  shrivelled 
he  was  no  bigger  than  a  baby,  and  it  was  hard  to  tell 
that  there  was  any  life  in  him,  except  that  there  was  a 
sound  of  breathing  every  now  and  then  in  his  throat. 

"Good  evening,  father,"  said  the  wayfarer.  "May 
I  have  house-room  here  to-night  ?  " 

M 


178  Tales  j rem  the  Bjeld 

It  was  long  before  he  got  an  answer,  and  still  longer 
before  the  carle  brought  it  out ;  but  the  end  was  he 
said,  as  all  the  rest,  that  he  was  not  father  in  the 
house.  "But  go,"  said  he,  "and  speak  to  my  father; 
you'll  find  him  hanging  up  in  the  horn  yonder  against 
the  wall." 

So  the  wayfarer  stared  about  round  the  walls,  and 
at  last  he  caught  sight  of  the  horn ;  but  when  he 
looked  for  him  who  hung  in  it,  he  looked  more  like  a 
film  of  ashes  that  had  the  likeness  of  a  man's  face. 
Then  he  was  so  frightened  that  he  screamed  out — 

"  Good  evening,  father !  will  you  let  me  have  house- 
room  here  to-night  ?  " 

Then  a  chirping  came  out  of  the  horn  like  a  little 
tom-tit,  and  it  was  all  he  could  do  to  make  out  that  the 
chirping  meant,  "  Yes,  MY  CHILD." 

And  now  a  table  came  in  which  was  covered  with 

the  costliest  dishes,  and   with   ale   and   brandy ;    and 

when  he  had  eaten  and  drank,  there  came  in  a  good 

^»ed,  with   reindeer  skins;    and   the   wayfarer  was  so 

vd  because  he  had  at  last  found  the  right  father 


Three  Years  without  Wages 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  poor  householder 
who  had  an  only  son,  but  he  was  so  lazy  and 
unhandy,  this  son,  that  he  would  neither  mix 
with  folk  nor  turn  his  hand  to  anything  in  the  world. 
So  the  father  said — 

"  If  I'm  not  to  go  on  for  ever  feeding  this  long  lazy 
fellow,  I  must  pack  him  off  a  long  way,  where  no  one 
knows  him.  If  he  runs  away  then  it  won't  be  so  easy 
for  him  to  come  home." 

Yes !  the  man  took  his  son  with  him,  and  went 
about  far  and  wide  offering  him  as  a  serving-man ;  but 
there  was  no  one  who  would  have  him. 

So  last  of  all  they  came  to  a  rich  man,  of  whom  the 
story  went  that  he  turned  a  penny  over  seven  times 
before  he  let  it  go.  He  was  to  take  the  lad  as  a 
ploughboy,  and  there  he  was  to  serve  three  years 
without  wages.  But  when  the  three  years  were  over 
the  man  was  to  go  to  the  town  two  mornings,  and  buy 
the  first  thing  he  met  that  was  for  sale,  but  the  third 
morning  the  lad  was  to  go  himself  to  the  town,  and 
buy  the  first  thing  he  met,  and  these  three  things  he 
was  to  have  instead  of  wages. 

Well,    the    lad    served    his    three    years     out,    and 


1 80  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

behaved  better  than  any  one  would  have  believed. 
He  was  not  the  best  ploughboy  in  the  world,  sure 
enough ;  but  then  his  master  was  not  of  the  best 
sort  either,  for  he  let  him  go  the  whole  time  with  the 
same  clothes  he  had  when  he  came,  so  that  at  last  they 
were  nothing  else  but  patch  on  patch  and  mend  on 
mend.  Now,  when  the  man  was  to  set  off  and  buy,  he 
was  up  and  away  at  cockcrow,  long  before  dawn. 

"  Dear  wares  must  be  seen  by  daylight,"  he  said ; 
"  they  are  not  to  be  found  on  the  road  to  town  so 
early.  Still,  they  may  be  dear  enough,  for  after  all  it's 
all  risk  and  chance  what  I  find." 

Well,  the  first  person  he  found  in  the  street  was 
an  old  hag,  and  she  carried  a  basket  with  a  cover. 

"  Good  day,  granny,"  said  the  man. 

"  Good  day  to  you,  father,"  said  the  old  hag. 

"  What  have  you  got  in  your  basket  ? "  asked  the 
man. 

"  Do  you  mean  business  ?  "  said  the  old  hag. 

"Yes,  I  do,  for  I  was  to  buy  the  first  thing  I  met." 

"  Well,  if  you  want  to  know  you  had  better  buy  it," 
said  the  old  hag. 

"  But  what  does  it  cost  ?  "  asked  the  man. 

Yes  !  she  must  have  fourpence. 

The  man  thought  that  no  such  very  high  price  after 
all.  He  couldn't  do  better,  and  lifted  the  lid,  and  it 
was  a  puppy  that  lay  in  the  basket. 

When  the  man  came  home  from  his  trip  to  town,  the 
lad  stood  out  in  the  yard,  and  wondered  what  he  should 
get  for  his  wages  for  the  first  year. 

"  So  soon  home,  master  ?  "  said  the  lad. 

Yes,  he  was. 


Three  Tears  without  Wages  1 8 1 


"What  was  it  you  bought?"  he  asked. 

"What  I  bought,"  said  the  man,  "was  not  worth 
much.  I  scarcely  know  if  I  ought  to  show  it ;  but  I 
bought  the  first  thing  that  was  to  be  had,  and  it  was  a 
puppy." 

"Now,  thank  you  so  much,"  said  the  lad.  "I  have 
always  been  so  fond  of  dogs." 

Next  morning  things  went  no  better.     The  man  was 
up  at  dawn  again,  and  he 
had  not  got  well  into  the 
town   before   he  saw  the 
old  hag  with  her  basket. 

"  Good  day,  granny," 
he  said. 

"  Good  day  to  you,  sir," 
she  said. 

"What  have  you  got 
in  your  basket  to-day  ?  " 
asked  the  man. 

"If  you  wish  to  know 
you  had  better  buy  it," 
said  the  old  hag. 

"What  does  it  cost  ?  "  asked  the  man. 

"  Yes !  she  must  have  fourpence ;  she  never  had 
more  than  one  price,"  she  said. 

So  the  man  said  he  would  take  it;  it  would  be  hard 
to  find  anything  cheaper.  When  he  lifted  the  lid  this 
time  there  lay  a  kitten  in  it. 

When  he  got  home  the  lad  stood  out  in  the  yard, 
waiting  and  wondering  what  he  should  get  for  his 
wages  the  second  year. 

"  Is  that  you,  master  ?  "  he  said. 


i  82  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

Yes,  there  he  was. 

"  What  did  you  buy  to-day  now  ?  "  asked  the  lad. 

"  Oh !  it  was  worse,  and  no  better,"  said  the  man ; 
"  but  it  was  just  as  we  bargained.  I  bought  the  first 
thing  I  met,  and  it  was  nothing  else  than  this  kitten." 

"You  could  not  have  met  anything  better,"  said  the 
lad ;  "  I  have  been  as  fond  of  cats  all  my  life  as  of 
dogs." 

" Well,"  thought  the  man,  "I  did  not  get  so  badly 
out  of  that  after  all ;  but  there's  another  day  to  come, 
when  he  is  to  go  to  town  himself." 

The  third  morning  the  lad  set  off,  and  just  as  he  got 
into  the  town  he  met  the  same  old  hag  with  her  basket 
on  her  arm. 

"  Good  morning,  granny !  "  said  the  lad. 

"  Good  morning  to  you,  my  son,"  said  the  old  hag. 

"  What  have  you  got  in  your  basket  ?  " 

"  If  you  want  to  know  you  had  better  buy  it,"  said 
the  old  hag. 

"  Will  you  sell  it,  then  ?  "  asked  the  lad. 

Yes,  she  would  ;  and  fourpence  was  her  price. 

"  That  was  cheap  enough,"  said  the  lad,  and  he 
would  have  it,  for  he  was  to  buy  the  first  thing  he 
met. 

"  Now  you  may  take  it,  basket  and  all,"  said  the  old 
hag;  "but  mind  you  don't  look  inside  it  before  j^ou 
get  home.     Do  you  hear  what  I  say  ?  " 

"Nay,  nay,  never  fear,  he  wouldn't  look  inside  it; 
was  it  likely  ? "  But  for  all  that  he  walked  and 
wondered  what  there  could  be  inside  the  basket,  and 
whether  he  would  or  no  he  could  not  help  just  lifting 
the  lid  and  peeping  in.     In  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  out 


Three  Tears  without  Wages  183 

popped  a  little  lizard,  and  ran  away  so  fast  along  the 
street  that  the  air  whistled  after  it.  There  was  no- 
thing else  in  the  basket. 

"  Nay  !  nay  !  "  cried  the  lad,  "  stop  a  bit,  and  don't 
run  off  so.     You  know  I  have  bought  you." 

"  Stick  me  in  the  tail — stick  me  in  the  tail !  "  bawled 
the  lizard. 

Well,  the  lad  was  not  slow  in  running  after  it  and 
sticking  his  knife  into  its  tail  just  as  it  was  crawling 
into  a  hole  in  the  wall,  and  that  very  minute  it  was 
turned  into  a  young  man  as  fine  and  handsome  as  the 
grandest  prince,  and  a  prince  he  was  indeed. 

"  Now  you  have  saved  me,"  said  the  prince,  "  for 
that  old  hag  with  whom  you  and  your  master  have 
dealt  is  a  witch,  and  me  she  has  changed  into  a  lizard, 
and  my  brother  and  sister  into  a  puppy  and  kitten." 

"  A  pretty  story  !  "  said  the  lad. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  prince ;  "  and  now  she  was  on  her 
way  to  cast  us  into  the  fjord  and  kill  us  ;  but  if  any 
one  came  and  wanted  to  buy  us  she  must  sell  us  for 
fourpence  each  ;  that  was  settled,  and  that  was  all  my 
father  could  do.  Now  you  must  come  home  to  him 
and  get  the  meed  for  what  you  have  done." 

"  I  dare  say,"  said  the  lad,  "  it's  a  long  way  off?  " 

"Oh,"  said  the  prince,  "not  so  far  at  all.  There  it 
is  yonder,"  he  said,  as  he  pointed  to  a  great  hill  in  the 
distance. 

So  they  set  off  as  fast  as  they  could,  but,  as  was  to 
be  weened,  it  was  farther  off  than  it  looked,  and  so  they 
did  not  reach  the  hill  till  far  on  in  the  night. 

Then  the  prince  began  to  knock  and  knock. 

"WHO   IS  THAT,"  said   some  one  inside   the  hill, 


[  84  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

that  knocks  at  my  door  and  spoils  my  rest  ? "  and 
that  some  one  was  so  loud  of  speech  that  the  earth 
quaked. 

"  Oh  !  open  the  door,  father,  there's  a  dear,"  said  the 
prince.     "  It  is  your  son  who  has  come  home  again." 

Yes  !  he  opened  the  door  fast  and  well. 

"  I  almost  thought  you  lay  at  the  bottom  of  the 
sea,"  said  the  greybeard.  "But  you  are  not  alone, 
I  see,"  he  said. 

"This  is  the  lad  who  saved  me,"  said  the  prince. 
"  I  have  asked  him  hither  that  you  may  give  him 
his  meed." 

Yes,  he  would  see  to  that,  said  the  old  fellow. 

"  But  now  you  must  step  in,"  he  said ;  "lam  sure 
you  have  need  of  rest." 

Yes  !  they  went  in  and  sat  down,  and  the  old  man 
threw  on  the  fire  an  armful  of  dry  fuel  and  one  or  two 
logs,  so  that  the  fire  blazed  up  and  shone  as  clear  as 
the  day  in  every  corner,  and  whichever  way  they 
looked  it  was  grander  than  grand.  Anything  like  it 
the  lad  had  never  seen  before,  and  such  meat  and 
drink  as  the  greybeard  set  before  them  he  had  never 
tasted  either ;  and  all  the  plates,  and  cups,  and  stoops, 
and  tankards  were  all  of  pure  silver  or  real  gold. 

It  was  not  easy  to  stop  the  lads.  They  ate  and 
drank  and  were  merry,  and  afterwards  they  slept  till 
far  on  next  morning.  But  the  lad  was  scarcely  awake 
before  the  greybeard  came  with  a  morning  draught 
in  a  tumbler  of  gold. 

So  when  he  had  huddled  on  his  clothes  and  broken 
his  fast,  the  old  man  took  him  round  with  him  and 
showed   him  everything,  that  he  might  choose  some- 


Three  Tears  without  Wages  185 

thing  that  he  would  like  to  have  as  his  meed  for 
saving  his  son.  There  was  much  to  see  and  to  choose 
from,  you  may  fancy. 

"Now  what  will  you  have?"  said  the  king;  "you 
see  there  is  plenty  of  choice ;  you  can  have  what  you 
please." 

But  the  lad  said  he  would  think  it  over  and  ask 
the  prince.  Yes !  the  king  was  willing  he  should  do 
that. 

"Well,"  said  the  prince,  "you  have  seen  many 
grand  things." 

"  Yes,  I  have,  as  was  likely,"  said  the  lad ;  "  but 
tell  me,  what  shall  I  choose  of  all  the  wealth  ?  Do  tell 
me,  for  your  father  says  I  may  choose  what  I  please." 

"  Do  not  take  anything  of  all  you  have  seen,"  said 
the  prince ;  "  but  he  has  a  little  ring  on  his  finger, 
that  you  must  ask  for." 

Yes !  he  did  so,  and  begged  for  the  little  ring  which 
he  had  on  his  finger. 

"Why!  it  is  the  dearest  thing  I  have,"  said  the 
king;  "but,  after  all,  my  son  is  just  as  dear,  and  so 
you  shall  have  it  all  the  same.  Do  you  know  what 
it  is  good  for  ?  " 

No !  he  knew  nothing  about  it. 

"  When  you  have  this  ring  on  your  finger,"  said 
the  king,  "  you  can  have  anything  you  wish  for." 

So  the  lad  thanked  the  king,  and  the  king  and  the 
prince  bade  him  God  speed  home,  and  told  him  to  be 
sure  and  take  care  of  the  ring. 

So  he  had  not  gone  far  on  his  way  before  he  thought 
he  would  prove  what  the  ring  was  worth,  and  so  he 
wished  himself  a  new  suit  of  clothes,  and  he  had  scarce 


i86 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


wished  for  them  before  he  had  them  on  him.  And  now 
he  was  as  grand  and  bright  as  a  new-struck  penny. 
So  he  thought  it  would  be  fine  fun  to  play  his  father 
a  trick. 

"  He  was  not   so  very  nice   all  the  time   I   was   at 
home ;  "  and  so  he  wished  he  was  standing  before  his 


father's  door,  just  as  ragged  as  he  was  of  old,  and  in  a 
second  he  stood  at  the  door. 

"  Good  day,  father,  and  thank  you  for  our  last 
meal,"  said  the  lad. 

But  when  the  father  saw  that  he  had  come  back  still 
more  ragged  and  tattered  than  when  he  set  out,  he 
began  to  bellow  and  to  bemoan  himself. 

"  There's  no  helping  you,"  he  said.  "You  have  not 
so  much  as  earned  clothes  to  your  back  all  the  time  you 
have  been  away." 


Three  Tears  without  Wages  187 


"  Don't  be  in  such  a  way,  father,"  said  the  lad,  "you 
ought  never  to  judge  a  man  by  his  clothes;  and  now 
you  shall  be  my  spokesman,  and  go  up  to  the  palace 
and  woo  the  king's  daughter  for  mc."  That  was  what 
the  lad  said. 

"Oh,  fie,  fie,"  said  the  father,  "this  is  only  gibing 
and  jeering." 

But  the  lad  said  it  was  the  right  down  earnest,  and 
so  he  took  a  birch  cudgel  and  drove  his  father  up  to 
the   gate    of   the    palace,    and 
there  he  came  hobbling  right 
up  to  the  king  with  his  eyes 
full  of  tears. 

"  Now,  now  !  "  said  the  king, 
what's  the  matter,  my  man  ? 
If  you  have  suffered  wrong,  I 
will  see  you  righted." 

No,  it  wasn't  that,  he  said, 
but  he  had  a  son  who  had 
brought  him  great  sorrow,  for 
he  could  never  make   a  man 

of  him,  and  now  he  must  say  he  had  gone  clean  out 
of  the  little  wit  he  had  before ;  and  then  he  went  on — 

"  For  now  he  has  hunted  me  up  to  the  palace  gate 
with  a  big  birch  cudgel,  and  forced  me  to  ask  for  the 
king's  daughter  to  wife." 

"Hold  your  tongue,  my  man,"  said  the  king;  "and 
as  for  this  son  of  yours,  go  and  ask  him  to  come  here 
indoors  to  me,  and  then  we  will  see  what  to  make  of 
him." 

So  the  lad  ran  in  before  the  king  till  his  rags 
fluttered  behind  him. 


i88 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


"Am  I  to  have  yoxiv  daughter?"     ' 

"  That  was  just  what  we  were  to  talk  about,"  said 
the  king;  "perhaps  she  mayn't  suit  you,  and  perhaps 
you  mayn't  suit  her  either." 

"  That  was  very  likely  !  "  said  the  lad. 

Now  you  must  know  there  had  just  come  a  big 
ship  from  over  the  sea,  and  she  could  be  seen  from  the 
palace  windows. 

"All  the  same!"  said  the  king.     "If  you  are  good 


to  make  a  ship  in  an  hour  or  two  like  that  lying 
yonder  in  the  fjord  and  looking  so  brave,  you  may  per- 
haps have  her."     That  was  what  the  king  said. 

"  Nothing  worse  than  that !  "  said  the  lad. 

So  he  went  down  to  the  strand  and  sat  down  on  a 
sandhill,  and  when  he  had  sat  there  long  enough,  he 
wished  that  a  ship  might  be  out  on  the  fjord  fully 
furnished  with  masts  and  sails  and  rigging,  the  very 
match  of  that  which  lay  there  already.     And  as  he 


Three  Tears  without  Wages  189 

wished  for  it  there  it  lay,  and  when  the  king  saw  there 
were  two  ships  for  one,  he  came  down  to  the  strand  to 
see  the  rights  of  it,  and  there  he  saw  the  lad  standing 
out  in  a  boat  with  a  brush  in  his  hand  as  though  he 
were  painting  out  spots  and  making  blisters  in  the 
paint  good.  But  as  soon  as  he  saw  the  king  down  on 
the  shore  he  threw  away  the  brush  and  said — 

"  Now  the  ship  is  ready,  may  I  have  your  daughter  ?  " 

"This  is  all  very  well,"  said  the  king,  "  but  you  try 
your  hand  at  another  masterpiece  first.  If  you  can 
build  a  palace,  a  match  to  my  palace,  in  one  or  two 
hours,  we  will  see  about  it."  That  was  what  the  king 
said. 

"  Nothing  worse  than  that !"  bawled  out  the  lad  and 
strode  off.  So  when  he  had  sauntered  about  so  long, 
that  the  time  was  nearly  up,  he  wished  that  a  palace 
might  stand  there  the  very  match  of  that  which  stood 
there  already.  It  was  not  long,  I  trow,  before  it  stood 
there,  and  it  was  not  long  either  before  the  king  came, 
both  with  queen  and  princess,  to  look  about  him  in 
the  new  palace.  There  stood  the  lad  again  with  his 
broom  and  swept. 

"  Here's  the  palace  right  and  ready,"  he  called  out; 
"  may  I  have  her  now  ?  " 

"  Very  well,  very  well,"  said  the  king,  "  you  may 
come  in  and  we  will  talk  it  over,"  for  he  saw  clearly 
the  lad  could  do  more  than  eat  his  meat,  and  so  he 
walked  up  and  down,  and  thought  and  thought  how  he 
might  be  rid  of  him.  Yes  !  there  they  walked,  the  king 
first  and  foremost,  and  after  him  the  queen,  and  then 
the  princess  next  before  the  lad.  So  as  they  walked 
along,  all  at  once  the  lad  wished  that  he  might  become 


190  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

the  handsomest  man  in  all  the  world,  and  so  he  was  in 
a  trice.  When  the  princess  saw  how  handsome  he  had 
grown  in  no  time,  she  gave  the  queen  a  nudge,  and  the 
queen  passed  it  on  to  the  king,  and  when  they  had  all 
stared  their  full,  they  saw  still  more  plainly  the  lad 
was  more  than  he  seemed  to  be  when  he  first  came  in 
all  tattered  and  torn.  So  they  settled  it  among  them, 
that  the  princess  should  go  daintily  to  work  till  she 
had  found  out  all  about  him.  Yes !  the  princess  made 
nerself  as  sweet  and  as  soft  as  a  whole  firkin  of 
butter,  and  coaxed  and  hoaxed  the  lad,  telling  him 
she  could  not  bear  him  out  of  her  eyes  day  or  night. 
So  when  the  first  evening  was  coming  to  an  end,  she 
said — 

"  As  we  are  to  have  one  another,  you  and  I,  you 
must  keep  nothing  back  from  me,  dearest,  and  so  you 
will  tell  me,  I  am  sure,  how  you  came  to  make  all  these 
grand  things." 

"  Aye,  aye,"  then  said  the  lad,  "  all  that  you'll  come 
to  know  in  good  time.  Only  let  us  be  man  and  wife  ; 
there's  no  good  talking  about  it  till  then."  That  was 
what  he  said. 

The  next  evening  the  princess  was  rather  put  out. 
"  She  could  see  with  half  an  eye,"  she  said,  "  that  he 
couldn't  care  very  much  for  his  sweetheart  when  he 
wouldn't  tell  her  what  she  asked  him.  So  it  would  be 
with  all  the  rest  of  his  love-making,  when  he  wouldn't 
meet  her  wishes  in  such  a  little  thing." 

Now  the  lad  was  quite  cut  to  the  heart,  and  that 
they  might  be  friends  again  he  told  her  the  whole 
story  from  beginning  to  end.  She  was  not  slow  in 
telling  it  to  the  king  and  queen,  and  so  they  laid  their 


Three  Tears  without  Wages  191 

heads  together  how  they  might  get  the  ring  from  the 
lad,  and  when  they  had  done  that  they  thought  it 
would  be  no  such  hard  thing  to  be  rid  of  him. 

At  night  the  princess  come  with  some  sleeping- 
drops,  and  said  now  she  would  pour  out  a  little  philtre 
for  her  own  true  love,  for  she  was  sure  he  did  not  care 
enough  for  her ;  that  was  what  she  said.  Yes !  he 
thought  no  harm  could  come  of  it,  and  so  he  drained 
off  the  drink  like  a  man,  and  in  a  trice  he  fell  so  sound 
asleep,  they  might  have  pulled  the  house  down  over 
his  head  without  waking  him.  So  the  princess  took 
the  ring  off  his  finger  and  put  it  on  her  own,  and 
wished  the  lad  might  lie  on  the  dungheap  outside  in 
the  street,  just  as  tattered  and  beggarly  as  he  was 
when  he  came  in,  and  in  his  place  she  wished  for 
the  handsomest  prince  in  the  world.  In  the  twinkling 
of  an  eye  it  all  happened.  As  the  night  wore  on  the 
lad  woke  up  on  the  dunghill,  and  at  first  he  thought 
it  was  only  a  dream,  but  when  he  found  the  ring  was 
gone  he  knew  how  it  had  all  happened,  and  then  he 
got  so  bewildered  that  he  set  off  and  was  just  going 
to  jump  into  the  lake  and  drown  himself. 

But  just  then  he  met  the  cat  which  his  master  had 
bought  for  him. 

"Whither  away  ?  "  asked  the  cat. 

"To  the  lake  to  drown  myself,"  said  the  lad. 

"Don't  think  of  it,"  said  the  cat;  "you  shall  get 
your  ring  back  again,  never  fear." 

"Oh,  shall  I,  shall  I  ?"  said  the  lad. 

By  this  time  the  cat  was  already  off,  and  as  she 
started  she  met  a  rat. 

"Now  I'll  take  and  gobble  you  up,"  said  the  cat. 


192  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"Oh !  pray  don't,"  said  the  rat,  "and  I'll  get  you  the 
ring  again." 

"  If  so,  he  quick  about  it,"  said  the  cat,  "or " 

So  after  they  had  taken  up  their  abode  in  the  palace, 
the  rat  ran  about  poking  his  nose  into  everything, 
trying  to  get  into  the  prince  and  princess's  bedroom. 
At  last  he  found  a  little  hole  and  crept  through  it. 
Then  he  heard  how  they  lay  awake  talking,  and  the 
rat  could  tell  that  the  prince  had  the  ring  on  his 
finger,  for  the  princess  said,  "  Mind  you  take  great  care 
of  my  ring,  dear."  That  was  what  she  said  ;  but  what 
the  prince  said  was — 

"  Pooh  !  no  one  will  come  in  hither  after  the  ring 
through  stone  and  mortar  ;  but,  for  all  that,  if  you  think 
it  isn't  safe  on  my  finger,  I  can  just  as  well  put  it  into 
my  mouth." 

In  a  little  while  the  prince  turned  over  on  his  back, 
and  tried  to  go  to  sleep,  and  as  he  did  so  the  ring  was 
just  slipping  down  into  his  throat,  and  then  he  coughed 
it  up,  so  that  it  shot  out  of  his  mouth  and  rolled  away 
over  the  floor.  Pop!  up  the  rat  snapped  it  and  crept 
off  with  it  to  the  cat  who  sat  outside  watching  at  the 
rat-hole. 

All  this  while  the  king  had  laid  hands  on  the  lad 
and  put  him  into  a  strong  tower  and  doomed  him  to 
lose  his  life,  for  that  he  had  made  jeers  and  gibes  at 
him  and  his  daughter,  and  there  he  was  to  stay  till  the 
day  of  his  death.  Now,  as  the  cat  was  hard  at  work 
prowling  about  trying  to  steal  into  the  tower  with  the 
ring  to  the  lad,  a  great  eagle  came  flying  and  pounced 
down  on  her  and  caught  her  up  in  his  claws  and  flew 
away  with  her  over  the  sea:     But  just  in  the  nick  of 


Thr.ee  Tears  'without  Wages  193 

time  came  a  falcon  and  struck  at  the  eagle,  so  that  he 
let  the  cat  fall  into  the  sea ;  but  when  the  cat  felt  the 
cold  water,  she  got  so  frightened  she  dropped  the  ring 
and  swam  to  shore.  She  had  not  shaken  the  water  off 
her,  and  smoothed  her  coat,  before  she  met  the  dog 
which  his  master  had  bought  for  the  lad. 

"  Nay  !  nay  !  "  said  the  cat,  and  purred  and  was  in  a 
sad  way,  "  what's  to  be  done  now  ?  The  ring  is  gone 
and  they  will  take  the  lad's  life." 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know,"  said  the  dog;  "all  I  know 
is  that  something  is  riving  and  rending  my  inside.  It 
couldn't  be  worse  if  I  were  going  to  turn  inside  out." 

"  Now  you  see  what  comes  of  over-eating  yourself," 
said  the  cat. 

"  I  never  eat  more  than  I  can  carry,"  said  the  dog ; 
"and  this  time  I  have  eaten  nothing  but  a  dead  fish 
which  lay  floating  up  and  down  on  the  ebb." 

"  May  be  that  fish  had  swallowed  the  ring,"  said  the 
cat.  "  And  now  I  dare  say  you  are  going  to  pay  for  it 
too,  for  you  know  you  can't  digest  gold." 

"  It  may  well  be,"  said  the  dog.  "  It's  much  the  same 
whether  one  loses  life  first  or  last.  Perhaps  the  lad's 
life  might  then  be  saved." 

"  Oh  !  "  said  the  rat,  for  he  was  there  too,  "  don't  say 
that.  I  don't  want  much  of  a  hole  to  creep  into,  and  if 
the  ring  is  there,  may  I  never  tell  the  truth  if  I  don't 
poke  it  out." 

Well !  the  rat  crept  down  the  dog's  throat,  and  it  was 
not  long  before  he  came  out  again  with  the  ring.  Then 
the  cat  set  off  to  the  tower  and  clambered  up  about  it, 
till  she  found  a  hole  into  which  she  could  put  her  paw, 
and  so  she  gave  back  his  ring  to  the  lad. 


1 94  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

The  lad  no  sooner  got  it  on  his  finger  than  he  wished 
the  tower  might  rend  asunder,  and  at  the  same  moment 
he  stood  in  the  doorway  and  scolded  both  the  king  and 
queen  and  the  princess  as  a  pack  of  rogues.  The  king 
was  not  slow  in  calling  out  his  warriors,  and  bade  them 
throw  a  ring  round  the  tower  and  seize  the  lad  and 
settle  him,  whether  they  took  him  dead  or  alive.  But 
the  lad  only  wished  that  all  the  soldiers  might  stand 
up  to  the  armpits  in  the  big  moss  up  in  the  fjeld,  and 
then  they  had  more  than  enough  to  get  out  again,  all 
that  were  not  left  sticking  there.  After  that  he  began 
again  where  he  left  off  with  the  king  and  his  folk,  and 
when  he  had  got  his  mouth  to  say  all  the  bad  of  them 
that  he  knew  and  willed,  he  wished  they  might  be  shut 
up  all  their  days  in  the  tower  into  which  they  had 
thrown  him.  And  when  they  were  safe  shut  up  there, 
he  took  the  land  and  realm  as  his  own.  Then  the  dog 
became  a  prince  and  the  cat  a  princess  again ;  her  he 
took  and  married,  and  the  last  I  heard  of  them  was, 
that  they  kept  it  up  at  the  bridal  both  well  and  long. 


Our  Parish  Clerk 


x^5* 


[NCE  on  a  time  there  was  a 

clerk   in   our   parish,   who 

was  very  sharp  set  after 

all  that  was  nice  and  good. 

All    the    parish    said    his    brains 

were  in  his  belly,  for  though  he 

was  very  fond  of  pretty  girls  and 

buxom  wives,  still  he  liked  good 

meat  and  drink  even  better. 

"Aye,  aye,"  said  our  clerk; 
"  one  can't  live  long  on  love  and 
the  south  wind."  That  was  his 
motto,  and  that  was  why  he  kept 
company  most  with  well-to- 
do  housewives,  with  those 
who  were  new  wedded,  or 
with  pretty  lasses  who  were 
sure  to  marry  rich  husbands,  for  there  you  were  sure 
to  find  tit -bits  both  of  beauty  and  food.  That  was 
what  our  clerk  thought.  It  wasn't  every  one,  indeed, 
who  thought  it  so  fine  to  have  such  a  cupboard  lover, 
but  yet   there  were   some   who  looked   on   it   as  fine 

i95 


196  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

enough  for  them,  for,  after  all,  a  parish  clerk  stands 
a  little  higher  than  a  farmer. 

Now  it  fell  out  there  was  a  rich  young  lass  who  had 
married  our  clerk's  next-door  neighbour.  There  he 
crept  in  and  out,  and  soon  got  good  friends  with  the 
husband,  and  better  friends  still  with  his  wife.  When 
the  husband  was  at  home  all  went  well  between  them, 
but  as  soon  as  he  was  away  at  the  mill,  or  in  the 
wood,  or  at  floating  timber,  or  at  a  meeting,  the  goody 
sent  word  to  the  clerk,  and  then  they  two  spent  the 
day  in  revelling  and  mirth.  There  was  no  one  who 
found  this  out,  before  the  ploughboy  got  wind  of  it, 
and  he  thought  he  would  just  speak  of  it  to  his 
master;  but,  somehow  or  other,  he  couldn't  find  a 
fitting  time  till  one  day  when  they  were  together  in  the 
outfield  gathering  leaves  for  litter.  There  they  chatted 
this  and  that  about  lasses  and  wives,  and  the  master 
thought  he  had  made  a  lucky  hit  in  marrying  such  a 
rich  and  pretty  wife,  and  he  said  as  much  outright. 
"  Thank  God,  she  is  both  good  and  clever." 
"Aye,  a3re,"  said  the  lad;  "every  man  is  welcome 
to  believe  what  he  likes,  but  if  you  knew  her  as  well 
as  I  do,  you  wouldn't  say  such  words  at  random. 
Pretty  women  are  like  wind  in  warm  summer  weather. 

"'And  love  is  such  that,  willy,  nilly, 

It  takes  up  with  a  clerk  as  well  as  a  lily.'" 

"  What's  that  you  say  ?  "  said  the  man. 

"  I  have  long  thought  I  would  tell  you  that  there's  a 
black  bull  that  walks  hoof  to  hoof  and  horn  to  horn 
with  that  milk-white  cow  in  your  mead,  master — that's 
what  I  wanted  to  say." 


Our  Parish  Clerk  197 

"  One  can  say  much  in  a  summer  day,"  said  the 
man ;  "  but  I  can't  understand  what  this  points  to." 

"Is  it  so?"  said  the  lad.  "Well,  I  have  long 
thought  of  telling  you  that  our  clerk  is  often  and  ever 
in  our  house  with  the  mistress,  and  how  they  lived  as 
though  there  was  a  bridal  every  day,  while  we  scarce 
get  so  much  as  the  leavings  of  their  good  cheer." 

"'  He  who  will  ever  taste  and  try, 
Will  burn  his  fingers  in  the  pie,'" 

said  his  master.  "  I  don't  believe  a  word  of  what  you 
say." 

"It's  a  strange  ear  that  will  never  hear,"  said  the 
lad;  "but  seeing  is  believing,  and  if  you  will  listen 
to  me,  I'm  ready  to  wager  ten  dollars  that  you  shall 
soon  have  the  proof  in  your  own  hands." 

"  Done,"  said  the  master ;  he  would  bet  ten  dollars  ; 
nay,  for  that  matter  he  would  bet  horse  and  farm, 
and  a  hundred  dollars  into  the  bargain. 

Well,  that  wager  was  to  stand.  "  But  an  old  fox 
is  hard  to  hunt,"  said  the  lad,  and  so  his  master  must 
say  and  do  all  that  his  ploughboy  wished.  When 
they  got  home,  he  was  to  say  they  must  set  off  for  the 
river  and  land  timber,  and  his  wife  must  put  up  some 
food  for  them  in  hot  haste ;  it  was  best  to  look  out 
while  the  weather  was  fine,  it  might  turn  to  storm  in 
a  trice.  Yes !  that  was  what  the  husband  said,  and 
the  food  was  ready  to  the  minute.  The  lad  put  the 
horses  to  the  timber  drags,  and  off  they  went,  but  no 
farther  than  half  a  mile ;  there  they  put  the  horses  up 
at  a  farm,  and  turned  in  themselves.     As  the  night 


198 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


came  on  they  went  back,  and  when  they  got  home,  the 
door  was  locked  fast. 

"Now  we  have  him,"  said  the  lad;  "it's  hard  to 
keep  off  the  field  to  which  one  is  wont." 

So  they  went  by  the  back  way  from  the  garden,  and 
so  through  a  trap-door  in  the  cellar  into  the  kitchen. 
Then  they  struck  a  light  and  went  into  the  parlour,  and 

saw  what  they 
saw.  Well,  our 
clerk  had  eaten 
so  well  that  he 
lay  snoring  with 
his  mouth  open 
and  his  nose  in 
the  air ;  as  for 
the  goody,  she 
was  not  awake 
either. 
"  Now  you  see  I  was  right ;  seeing  is  believing, 
master,"  said  the  lad. 

"  May  I  never  speak  the  truth  again,"  said  the  man, 
"  if  I  would  have  believed  ten  men  telling  it." 

"  Hush,  be  still,"  said  the  lad,  and  took  him  out 
again. 

"  Man's  law  is  not  land's  law,"  said  the  lad  ;  "  but 
even  a  bear  can  be  tamed  if  you  know  how  to  deal 
with  him.     Have  you  any  lead,  master  ?  " 

Yes !  he  had,  he  was  sure,  more  than  seventy 
bullets  in  his  pouch.  Then  it  was  all  right.  They 
took  a  saucepan,  and  melted  the  lead  on  the  spot,  and 
ran  it  down  our  clerk's  throat. 

"  Every  man  has  his  own  taste,"  said  the  lad,  "  and 


Our  Parish   Clerk  199 

that's  why  all  meat  is  eaten,"  as  he  heard  the  molten 
lead  bubbling  and  frizzling  in  our  clerk's  throat. 

Then  they  went  out  by  the  way  they  got  in,  and 
began  to  knock  and  thunder  at  the  front  door.  The 
wife  woke  up  and  asked  who  was  there. 

"  It  is  I ;   open  the  door,  I  say,"  said  the  husband. 

Then  she  gave  our  clerk  a  nudge  in  the  ribs.  "  It  is 
the  master;  the  master  is  back,"  she  said.  But  no! 
he  did  not  mind  her,  and  never  so  much  as  stirred. 
Then  she  put  her  knees  to  his  side,  and  tumbled  him 
on  to  the  floor,  and  jumped  up  and  took  him  by  the 
legs,  and  dragged  him  to  the  heap  of  wood  behind  the 
stove,  and  there  she  hid  him.  Till  she  had  done  that 
she  had  no  time  to  open  the  door  to  her  husband. 

"Were  you  gone  after  christening  water  that  you 
were  gone  so  long  ?  "  asked  the  man. 

"  Oh  !  "  she  answered,  "  I  dozed  off  again  to  sleep, 
and  I  did  not  think  it  could  ever  be  you  either." 

"Well!"  said  her  husband,  "now  you  must  bring 
out  some  food  for  me  and  the  boy ;  we  are  a'most 
starved." 

"  I've  got  no  food  ready,"  said  the  goody.  "  How 
can  you  think  of  such  a  thing  ?  I  never  thought  you 
would  be  back  either  to-day  or  to-morrow.  Why,  you 
know  you  were  to  go  to  the  river  to  land  timber." 

"One  can't  hang  a  hungry  man  up  on  the  wall  like 
a  clock,"  said  the  lad,  "and  self-help  is  the  best  help; 
shall  I  bring  in  the  food  we  packed  up,  master  ?  " 

Yes ;  they  did  that,  and  they  sat  down  to  eat  out 
of  the  knapsack  ;  but  when  they  got  up  to  put  a  log  or 
two  on  the  fire,  there  lay  our  clerk  among  the  pile  of 
wood. 


200  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"  Why,  who  in  the  world  is  this  ?  "  asked  the  man. 

"  Oh  !  oh  !  It's  only  a  beggar-man  who  came  here 
so  late  and  begged  for  house-room ;  he  was  quite  con- 
tent if  he  might  only  lie  among  the  firewood,"  said  the 
goody. 

"A  pretty  beggar,"  said  the  man  ;  "why  he  has  got 
silver  buckles  to  his  shoes,  and  silver  buttons  at  his 
knees. 

"All  are  not  beggars  who  are  tattered  and  torn,' 
said  the  lad ;  "  but  I'm  blest  if  this  isn't  our  parish 
clerk." 

"What  was  he  doing  here,  mistress,"  asked  her 
husband,  who  all  the  while  kept  on  pulling  and 
kicking  at  him.  But  our  clerk  never  so  much  as 
stirred  or  lifted  a  finger.  There  stood  the  goody 
fumbling  and  stammering,  and  not  knowing  what  to 
say.     All  she  could  do  was  to  bite  her  thumb. 

"  I  see  it  in  your  face  what  you  have  done,  mis- 
tress," said  her  husband.  "  But  life  is  hard  to  lose, 
and,  after  all,  he  was  our  parish  clerk.  If  I  did  what 
was  right,  I  should  send  off  at  once  for  the  sheriff." 

"Heaven  help  us,"  said  the  wife;  "only  get  our 
clerk  out  of  the  way." 

"  This  is  your  matter  and  not  mine,"  said  the  man. 
"  I  never  asked  him  hither,  nor  sent  for  him  ;  but  if  you 
can  get  any  one  to  help  you  to  get  rid  of  him,  I  won't 
stand  in  your  way." 

Then  she  took  the  lad  on  one  side,  and  said — 

"  I've  laid  up  some  woollen  stuff  for  my  husband, 
but  I'll  give  it  to  you  for  clothes,  if  you'll  only  get  our 
clerk  buried,  so  that  he  shall  never  be  seen  or  heard  of 
again." 


Our  Parish   Clerk 


201 


"  There's  no  saying  what  one  can  do  till  one  tries. 
If  we  drive  in  the  frost  we  shall  find  it  slippery,  to  our 
cost.  Have  you  ropes  and  cord,  master?  If  so,  I'll 
see  if  I  can't  cure  this." 

Well !  he  got  our  clerk  fast  in  a  slipknot,  threw  him 
on  his  back,  caught  up  his  hat  as  well,  and  away  he 
went.  But  he  hadn't  gone  far  along  the  path  in  the 
meadow  when  he  met  some  horses ;  so  he  caught  one 
of  these,  and  tied 
and  bound  our  clerk  _. 

fast  on  his  back. 
He  put  his  hat, 
too,  on  his  head, 
and  his  hand  down 
on  his  thigh,  and 
there  he  sat  up- 
right, and  jogged 
up  and  down  just 
as  a  man  on  horse- 
back. 

"One  may  kill 
Trolls  at  any  time 
of  night,"  said  the 

lad  when  he  got  home;  "who  can  say  when  a  man 
is  '  fey '  ?  But  he  will  never  rise  up  who  is  safe  buried 
under  ground,  and  the  cock  that  is  slain  crows  never 
again." 

Now,  whether  all  this  were  true  or  no,  there  was  a 
way  from  the  meadow  across  the  fields  to  a  barn,  and 
along  it  they  had  carted  hay,  and  dropped  it  as  they 
went  along  ;  so  the  horse  went  that  way,  picking  up  the 
hay  as  he  went  and  out  in  that  barn  were  two  men 


202  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

watching  for  thieves  who  used  to  steal  the  hay,  for  it 
had  been  a  bad  year  for  fodder. 

"  Here  comes  the  thief,"  they  said,  when  they  heard 
the  horse's  hoofs;   "now  we  shall  catch  him." 

"Who's  there?"  they  called  out,  so  that  it  rang 
against  the  hill-side.  No  !  there  was  no  answer,  the 
horse  paid  little  heed,  and  our  clerk  less. 

"  If  you  don't  answer  I'll  send  a  bullet  through  your 
brains,  you  horse-thief,"  they  both  called  out,  and  then 
off  went  the  gun,  at  which  the  horse  gave  such  a  sudden 
jump,  that  our  clerk  gave  a  bob  and  fell  bump  on  the 
ground. 

"  I  think,"  said  one  of  the  watchers,  as  he  jumped  up 
to  look,  "  I  think  you've  shot  him  dead  as  mutton  ;  " 
and  then,  when  he  saw  who  it  was,  "  O  Lord  ! "  he 
said,  "if  it  ain't  our  parish  clerk.  You  ought  to  have 
aimed  at  his  legs,  and  not  killed  him  outright." 

"  What's  done  is  done,  and  can't  be  helped,"  said 
the  other.  "Least  said  soonest  mended.  We  must 
keep  our  ears  close,  and  bury  him  for  a  little  while 
among  the  hay  in  the  barn." 

Yes  !  they  did  that,  and  when  it  was  over,  they 
lay  them  down  to  rest.  In  a  little  while  came  some  one 
puffing  and  stamping,  that  the  field  shook  again.  The 
two  who  lay  among  the  hay  nudged  one  another,  for 
they  thought  it  was  thieves  again.  Close  to  the  barn 
was  a  stepping-stone,  and  there  the  new-comer  sat 
down  with  his  load,  and  began  to  talk  to  himself.  He 
had  been  killing  pigs  at  a  farm  a  few  days  before,  and 
thought  he  had  been  paid  too  little  for  his  work,  too 
little  pay  and  too  little  board,  and  so  he  had  set  off  and 
stolen  the  biggest  porker.      "  He   that  swaps  with   a 


Our  Parish   Clerk  203 

bear  always  comes  worst  off,"  he  said ;  "  and  so  it's 
best  to  help  one's  self  to  what  is  right,  and  a  little 
share  is  better  than  a  long  lawsuit.  But,  bitter  death  ! 
if  I  haven't  forgotten  my  gloves ;  if  they  find  them 
at  the  farm,  they'll  soon  find  out  who  has  inherited 
their  porker."  And  as  he  said  this  he  bolted  back  after 
his  gloves. 

The  two  who  were  in  the  barn  lay  and  listened  to  all 
this. 

"  He  who  lays  traps  for  others,  comes  into  the  trap 
himself,"  said  one. 

"There's  no  sin  in  stealing  from  a  thief,"  said  the 
other ;  "  and  no  one  is  hanged  save  those  who  can't 
steal  right.  It  would  be  fine  fun  to  get  rid  of  our  clerk 
in  an  easy  way,  and  get  a  fat  pig  instead.  I  think,  old 
chap,  we  had  better  make  a  swap." 

The  other  burst  out  laughing  at  this,  and  so  they 
tumbled  the  pig  out  of  the  sack  and  tossed  in  our  clerk, 
head  foremost,  hat  and  all,  and  tied  up  the  mouth  of 
the  sack  as  tight  as  they  could. 

Just  as  they  had  done,  back  came  the  thief  flying 
with  his  gloves,  snatched  up  the  sack,  and  strode  off 
home.  There  he  cast  the  sack  down  on  the  floor  at 
his  goody's  feet. 

"  Here's  what  I  call  a  porker,  old  lass,"  he  said. 

"  How  grand  !  "  said  the  goody.  "  Nothing  is  all 
very  fine  to  the  eye,  but  not  to  the  mouth.  One  can't 
get  on  without  meat,  for  meat  is  man's  strength.  Thank 
Heaven  we  have  now  a  bit  of  meat  in  the  house,  and 
shall  be  able  to  live  well  awhile." 

"  I  took  the  biggest  I  could,"  said  the  man,  who  sat 
down  in  his  armchair,  and  puffed  and  wiped  the  sweat 


204  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

off  his  brow.  "He  had  both  breeches  and  drawers,  he 
was  well  covered,  that  he  was."  By  which  he  meant 
the  pig  was  well  fed  and  fat.  Then  he  went  on,  "  Have 
you  any  meat  in  the  house,  old  lass  ?  " 

"  No,"  she  said ;   "  meat !  where  should  I  get  meat  ?  " 

"Make  up  the  fire  then,"  said  the  man  ;  "and  sharpen 
your  knife,  and  cut  off  a  wee  bit,  and  fry  it  with  salt, 
and  let's  have  a  pork  chop." 

She  did  as  he  bade,  and  tore  open  the  mouth  of  the 
sack,  and  was  just  going  to  cut  off  a  steak. 

"What's  all  this?"  she  cried.  "He  has  got  his 
trotters  on,"  when  she  saw  his  shoes ;  "  and  he's  as 
black  as  a  coal." 

"Don't  you  know,"  said  her  husband,  "all  cats  are 
grey  in  the  dark,  and  all  pigs  black  ?  " 

"I  dare  say,"  she  said;  "but  black  or  white  is 
always  bright,  and  a  fog  is  not  like  a  bilberry,  This 
pig  has  got  breeches  on." 

"  Plague  take  him  !  "  said  the  man.  "  I  know  well 
enough  he  is  covered  with  fat  all  down  his  legs. 
Haven't  I  carried  him  till  the  sweat  ran  down  my 
face  ?  " 

"  Nay,  nay  !  "  said  the  goody.  "  He  has  silver 
buckles  in  his  shoes,  and  silver  buttons  at  his  knees. 
My !  if  it  isn't  our  parish  clerk  !  "  she  screamed  out. 

"  I  tell  you  it  was  a  fat  pig  I  took,"  said  the  man, 
as  he  jumped  up  to  see  how  things  stood.  "Well! 
well !  Seeing  is  believing."  It  was  our  clerk,  both 
with  shoes  and  buckles;  but,  for  all,  he  stuck  to  it  it 
was  the  fattest  pig  he  had  put  into  the  sack. 

"But  what's  done  can't  be  undone,"  he  said  ;  "the 
best  servant  is  one's  own  self;  but,  for  all  that,  help  is 


Our  Parish  Clerk  205 

good,  even  if  it  comes  out  of  the  porridge-pot !  Wake 
up  our  Mary,  old  girl." 

Now  you  must  know  Mary  was  their  daughter,  a 
ready  and  trusty  lass ;  she  had  the  strength  of  a  man 
too,  and  always  had  her  wits  about  her.  So  she  was 
to  take  our  clerk  and  bury  him  in  an  out-of-the-way 
dale,  so  that  nothing  should  ever  be  heard  of  him.  If 
she  did  this,  she  was  to  have  a  new  suit  of  working 
clothes,  which  were  meant  for  her  mother. 

Well !  the  lassie  took  our  clerk  round  the  body, 
tossed  him  on  her  back,  and  strode  off  from  the  farm, 
not  forgetting  to  take  his  hat.  But  when  she  had 
gone  a  bit  of  the  way,  she  heard  a  fiddle  going,  for 
there  was  a  dance  at  a  farm  near  the  road,  and  so  she 
crept  in  and  set  our  clerk  down  upright  behind  the 
backstairs.  There  he  sat  with  his  hat  between  his 
hands,  just  as  though  he  were  begging  an  alms,  and 
leaning  against  the  wall  and  a  post. 

After  a  while  came  a  girl  in  a  flurry. 

"  I  wonder  whoever  this  can  be  ?  "  she  said.  "  The 
master  of  the  house  is  as  grey  as  a  goose,  but  this 
fellow  is  as  black  as  a  raven.  Hulloa,  you,  sir,  why 
are  you  sitting  there,  blocking  up  the  way  ?  One  can 
scarce  get  by." 

But  our  clerk  said  never  a  word. 

"Are  you  poor?  Do  you  beg  for  a  penny  for 
Heaven's  sake  ?  Ah  !  poor  fellow  !  Here's  twopence 
for  you,"  and  as  she  said  this  she  tossed  them  into  his 
hat.  Still  our  clerk  said  never  a  word.  She  waited  a 
little,  for  she  thought  he  would  say  "Thank  you,"  but 
our  clerk  did  not  so  much  as  nod  his  head. 

"No,  I  never,"  said  the  girl,  when  she  went  back 


206  Tales  from  the  Fjela1 

into  the  ball-room.  "  I  never  did  see  the  like  of  a 
beggar  who  sits  out  yonder  by  the  staircase.  He  isn't 
at  all  like  a  starling  on  a  fence,"  she  went  on,  "  for  he 
won't  answer,  and  he  won't  say  'Thank  you,'  and 
won't  so  much  as  lift  a  finger,  though  I  did  give  him 
twopence." 

"  The  least  a  beggar  can  do  is  to  say  '  Thank  you,' " 
cried  a  young  sheriff's  clerk  who  was  of  the  party. 
"  He  must  be  a  pretty  fellow  whom  I  cannot  get  to 
speak,  for  I've  made  thieves  and  stiff-necked  folk  open 
their  mouths  wide  before  this." 

As  he  said  this  he  ran  out  to  the  stairs,  and  bawled 
out  in  our  clerk's  ear,  for  he  thought  he  was  hard  of 
hearing — 

"  What  do  you  sit  here  for,  you,  sir  ?  "  And  then 
again,  "  Are  you  poor  ?     Do  you  beg  ?  " 

No,  our  clerk  said  never  a  word.  So  he  took  out 
half-a-dollar,  and  threw  it  into  his  hat,  saying,  "There's 
something  for  you."  But  our  clerk  was  still  silent, 
and  made  no  sign.  So  when  he  could  get  no  thanks 
out  of  him,  the  sheriff's  officer  gave  him  a  blow  under 
the  ear,  as  hard  as  he  could,  and  down  fell  our  clerk 
head  over  heels  across  the  staircase.  And  you  may 
be  sure  the  girl  Mary  was  not  slow  in  running  to  the 
spot. 

"Are  you  in  a  swoon,  or  are  you  dead,  father,'*  she 
screeched  out,  and  then  she  went  on  screaming  and 
bewailing  herself. 

"It's  quite  true,"  she  said;  "there's  no  peace  for 
the  poor  after  all,  but  I  never  yet  heard  of  any  one 
laying  themselves  out  to  strike  beggars  dead." 

"Hush!      Hold    your   tongue,"   said    the   sheriff's 


Our  Parish   Clerk  207 

officer.  "  Don't  make  a  fuss.  Here  you  have  ten 
dollars,  keep  your  peace  and  take  him  away.  I  only 
gave  him  a  blow  that  made  him  swoon." 

Well !  she  was  glad  enough.  "  Money  brings 
money,"  she  thought ;  "  with  fair  words  and  money, 
one  can  go  far  in  a  day,  and  one  need  never  care  for 
food  with  a  purse  full  of  pence."  So  she  took  our 
clerk  on  her  back  again,  and  strode  off  to  the  nearest 
farm,  and  there  she  put  him  athwart  the  brink  of  the 
well.  When  our  Mary  got  home  she  said  she  had 
borne  him  off  to  the  wood,  and  buried  him  far  far  away 
in  a  side  dale. 

"Thank  Heaven,"  said  the  goody.  "Now  we  are 
well  quit  of  him,  you  shall  have  all  I  promised,  and 
more  besides.     Be  sure  of  that." 

So  there  lay  our  clerk  as  though  he  were  peering 
down  into  the  well,  till  at  dawn  of  day  the  ploughboy 
came  running  up  to  draw  water. 

"  Why  are  you  lying  there,  and  what  are  you 
gazing  at?  Out  of  the  way.  I  want  some  water," 
said  the  lad. 

No !  he  neither  stirred  hand  nor  foot.  Then  the 
lad  let  drive  at  him,  so  that  it  went  plump,  and  there 
lay  our  clerk  in  the  well.  Then  he  must  have  help  to 
get  him  out,  but  there  was  no  help  for  it  till  the  hind 
came  with  a  boat-hook  and  dragged  him  out. 

"  Why !  it's  our  parish  clerk  !  "  they  all  bawled  out, 
and  they  all  thought  he  had  eaten  and  drank  so  much 
at  some  feast,  that  he  had  fallen  asleep  by  the  well- 
side. 

But  when  the  master  of  the  house  came  and  saw 
our  clerk,  and  heard  how  it  had  all  happened,  he  said — 


zo8  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"  Harm  watches  while  men  sleep ;  but  man's  scathe 
is  the  worst  scathe.  When  one  pot  strikes  against 
another,  both  break.  Take  the  saddle  and  lay  it  on 
Blackie,  and  ride  to  fetch  the  sheriff,  my  lad,  and  then 
we  shall  be  out  of  harm's  way,  for  our  clerk's  sake. 
Mishaps  never  come  single,  but  it's  hard  to  drown  on 
dry  land."     That  was  what  the  master  said. 

Yes !  the  lad  rode  off  to  the  sheriff,  and  after  a 
while  the  sheriff  came.  But,  as  the  saying  is,  more 
haste,  worse  speed,  and  work  done  in  haste  will  never 
last.  So  it  took  time  before  they  got  the  doctor  and 
witnesses  to  come.  Now  you  all  know  we  owe  a 
death  to  God ;  but  then  it  was  made  as  plain  as  day 
that  our  clerk  had  been  killed  three  times  before  he 
tumbled  into  the  well.  First  the  ladle  of  lead  had 
taken  away  his  breath,  next  he  had  a  bullet  through 
his  forehead,  and  third  and  last  his  neck  was  broken. 
Surely  he  was  "  fey  "  when  he  set  out  to  see  the  goody. 
It  is  hard  to  tell  how  all  this  was  found  out  at  last; 
but  tongues  will  clack  behind  a  man's  back,  and  hard 
things  are  said  of  a  man  when  he's  dead. 


Silly  Men  and   Cunning  Wives 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  were  two  goodies  who 
quarrelled,  as  women  often  will ;  and  when 
they  had  nothing  else  to  quarrel  about,  they 
fell  to  fighting  about  their  husbands,  as  to  which  was 
the  silliest  of  them.  The  longer  they  strove  the  worse 
they  got,  and  at  last  they  had  almost  come  to  pulling 
caps  about  it ; 
for,  as  every 
one  knows,  it  is 
easier  to  begin 
than  to  end,  and 
it  is  a  bad  look- 
out when  wit  is 
wanting.  At  last 
one  of  them  said 
there  was  no- 
thing she  could 
not  get  her  hus- 
band to  believe,  if  she  only  said  it,  for  he  was  as  easy 
as  a  Troll.  Then  the  other  said  there  was  nothing 
so  silly  that  she  could  not  get  her  husband  to  do, 
if  she  only  said  it  must  be  done,  for  he  was  such  a 
fool,  he  could  not  tell  B  from  a  bull's  foot. 

"  Well !  let  us  put  it  to  the  proof,  which  of  us  can 

209  0 


210 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


fool  them  best,  and  then  we'll  see  which  is  the  silliest." 
That  was  what  they  said  once,  and  so  it  was  settled. 

Now  when  the  first  husband,  Master  Northgrange, 
came  home  from  the  wood,  his  goody  said — 

"Heaven  help  us  both!  what  is  the  matter?  you 
are  surely  ill,  if  you  are  not  at  death's  door ! " 


"Nothing  ails  me  but  want  of  meat  and  drink,"  said 
the  man. 

"  Now,  Heaven  be  my  witness  ! "  screamed  out  the 
wife,  "it  gets  worse  and  worse.  You  look  just  like  a 
corpse  in  face ;  you  must  go  to  bed  !  Dear !  dear  !  this 
never  can  last  long !  And  so  she  went  on  till  she  got 
her  husband  to  believe  he  was  hard  at  death's  door, 
and  she  put  him  to  bed ;  and  then  she  made  him  fold 


Silly  Men  and  Cunning  Wives       2 1 1 

his  hands  on  his  breast,  and  shut  his  eyes;  and  so  she 
stretched  his  limbs,  and  laid  him  out,  and  put  him  into 
a  coffin ;  but  that  he  might  not  be  smothered  while  he 
lay  there,  she  had  some  holes  made  in  the  sides,  so 
that  he  could  breathe  and  peep  out. 

The  other  goody,  she  took  a  pair  of  carding  combs 
and  began  to  card  wool ;  but  she  had  no  wool  on  them. 
In  came  the  man,  and  saw  this  tomfoolery. 

"There's  no  use,"  he  said,  "  in  a  wheel  without  wool ; 
but  carding  combs  without  wool  is  work  for  a  fool." 

"  Without  wool ! "  said  the  goody  ;  "  I  have  wool, 
only  you  can't  see  it ;  it's  of  the  fine  sort."  So  when 
she  had  carded  it  all,  she  took  her  wheel  and  fell 
a-spinning. 

"  Nay  !  nay  !  this  is  all  labour  lost  !  "  said  the  man. 
"  There  you  sit,  wearing  out  your  wheel,  as  it  spins 
and  hums,  and  all  the  while  you've  nothing  on  it." 

"Nothing  on  it!"  said  the  goody;  "the  thread  is 
so  fine,  it  takes  better  eyes  than  yours  to  see  it, 
that's  all." 

So,  when  her  spinning  was  over,  she  set  up  her  loom, 
and  put  the  woof  in,  and  threw  the  shuttle,  and  wove 
cloth.  Then  she  took  it  out  of  the  loom  and  pressed  it 
and  cut  it  out,  and  sewed  a  new  suit  of  clothes  for  her 
husband  out  of  it,  and  when  it  was  ready,  she  hung  the 
suit  up  in  the  linen  closet.  As  for  the  man,  he  could 
see  neither  cloth  nor  clothes ;  but  as  he  had  once  for 
all  got  it  into  his  head  that  it  was  too  fine  for  him  to 
see,  he  went  on  saying,  "  Aye,  aye  !  I  understand  it  all; 
it  is  so  fine  because  it  is  so  fine." 

Well,  in  a  day  or  two  his  goody  said  to  him — 

"  To-day  you  must  go  to  a  funeral.     Farmer  North- 


212  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

grange  is  dead,  and  they  bury  him  to-day,  and  so  you 
had  better  put  on  your  new  clothes." 

"  Yes,  very  true,  he  must  go  to  the  funeral ;  "  and  she 
helped  him  on  with  his  new  suit,  for  it  was  so  fine,  he 
might  tear  it  asunder  if  he  put  it  on  alone. 

So  when  he  came  up  to  the  farm  where  the  funeral 
was  to  be,  they  had  all  drank  hard  and  long,  and  you 
may  fancy  their  grief  was  not  greater  when  they  saw 
him  come  in  in  his  new  suit.  But  when  the  train  set 
off  for  the  churchyard,  and  the  dead  man  peeped 
through  the  breathing  holes,  he  burst  out  into  a  loud 
fit  of  laughter. 

"  Nay  !  nay  ! "  he  said,  "  I  can't  help  laughing,  though 
it  is  my  funeral,  for  if  there  isn't  Olof  Southgrange 
walking  to  my  funeral  stark  naked  ! " 

When  the  bearers  heard  that,  they  were  not  slow  in 
taking  the  lid  off  the  coffin,  and  the  other  husband,  he 
in  the  new  suit,  asked  how  it  was  that  he,  over  whom 
they  had  just  drank  his  funeral  ale,  lay  there  in  his 
coffin  and  chattered  and  laughed,  when  it  would  be 
more  seemly  if  he  wept. 

"  Ah  ! "  said  the  other,  "  you  know  tears  never  yet 
dug  up  any  one  out  of  his  grave — that's  why  I  laughed 
myself  to  life  again." 

But  the  end  of  all  their  talk  was  that  it  came  out 
that  their  goodies  had  played  them  those  tricks,  So 
the  husbands  went  home,  and  did  the  wisest  thing 
either  of  them  had  done  for  a  long  time ;  and  if  any 
one  wishes  to  know  what  it  was,  he  had  better  go  and 
ask  the  birch  cudgel. 


Taper  Tom 


NCE    on    a    time    there 

was    a   king,    who    had 

a  daughter,  and  she  was 

so  lovely,  that  her  good 

looks  were  well  known 

far  and  near ;    but   she 

was   so   sad   and   serious  she 

could  never  be  got  to  laugh; 

and,  besides,  she  was  so  high 

and    mighty,     that    she    said 

"  No "  to  all  who  wooed  her 

to  wife,  and  she  would  have 

none  of  them,  were  they  ever 

so  grand — lords  and  princes, 

it  was  all  the  same.     The  king  had  long  ago  got  tired 

of  this,  for   he  thought   she  might  just  as  well  marry, 

she,  too,  like  the  rest  of  the  world.    There  was  no  good 

waiting ;  she  was  quite  old  enough,  nor  would  she  be 

any  richer,  for  she  was  to  have  half  the  kingdom  that 

came  to  her  as  her  mother's  heir. 

So  he  had  it  given  out  at  the  church  door  both  quick 

and  soon,  that  any  one  who  could  get  his  daughter  to 

laugh  should  have  her  and  half  the  kingdom.     But  if 

there  was  any  one  who  tried  and  could  not,  he  was  to 

213 


2 1 4  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

have  three  stripes  cut  out  of  his  back,  and  salt  rubbed 
in ;  and  sure  it  was  that  there  were  many  sore  backs 
in  that  kingdom,  for  lovers  and  wooers  came  from  north 
and  south,  and  east  and  west,  thinking  it  nothing  at:  all 
to  make  a  king's  daughter  laugh ;  and  brave  fellows 
they  were  some  of  them  too ;  but  for  all  their  tricks 
and  capers,  there  sat  the  princess,  just  as  sad  and 
serious  as  she  had  been  before. 

Now  hard  by  the  palace  lived  a  man  who  had  three 
sons,  and  they  too  had  heard  how  the  king  had  given 
it  out  that  the  man  who  could  make  the  princess 
laugh  was  to  have  her  to  wife  and  half  the  kingdom. 

The  eldest,  he  was  for  setting  off  first ;  so  he  strode 
off;  and  when  he  came  to  the  king's  grange,  he  told 
the  king  he  would  be  glad  to  try  to  make  the  princess 
laugh. 

"All  very  well,  my  man,"  said  the  king;  "but  it's 
sure  to  be  no  good,  for  so  many  have  been  here  and 
tried.  My  daughter  is  so  sorrowful,  it's  no  use  trying, 
and  I  don't  at  all  wish  that  any  one  should  come  to 
grief." 

But  he  thought  there  was  use.  It  couldn't  be  such 
a  very  hard  thing  for  him  to  get  the  princess  to  laugh, 
for  so  many  had  laughed  at  hirn,  both  gentle  and 
simple,  when  he  listed  for  a  soldier,  and  learnt  his 
drill  under  Corporal  Jack.  So  he  went  off  to  the 
courtyard,  under  the  princess's  window,  and  began  to 
go  through  his  drill  as  Corporal  Jack  had  taught  him. 
But  it  was  no  good,  the  princess  was  just  as  sad  and 
serious,  and  did  not  so  much  as  smile  at  him  once.  So 
they  took  him,  and  cut  three  broad  red  stripes  out  of 
his  back,  and  sent  him  home  again. 


Taper  Tom 


215 


Well !  he  had  hardly  got  home  before  his  second 
brother  wanted  to  set  off.  He  was  a  schoolmaster, 
and  a  wonderful  figure  of  fun  besides  ;  he  was  lop- 
sided, for  he  had  one  leg  shorter  than  the  other,  and 
one  moment  he  was  as  little  as  a  boy,  and  in  another, 
when  he  stood  on  his  long  leg,  he  was  as  tall  and  long 
as  a  Troll.     Besides  this,  he  was  a  powerful  preacher. 


So  when  he  came  to  the  king's  grange,  and  said  he 
wished  to  make  the  princess  laugh,  the  king  thought  it 
might  not  be  so  unlikely  after  all.  "  But  Heaven  help 
you,"  he  said,  "  if  you  don't  make  her  laugh.  We  are 
for  cutting  the  stripes  broader  and  broader  for  every 
one  that  tries." 

Then  the  schoolmaster  strode  off  to  the  courtyard, 
and  put  himself  before  the  princess's  window,  and  read 


2 1 6  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

and  preached  like  seven  parsons,  and  sang  and  chanted 
like  seven  clerks,  as  loud  as  all  the  parsons  and  clerks 
in  the  country  round.  The  king  laughed  loud  at  him, 
and  was  forced  to  hold  the  posts  in  the  gallery,  and 
the  princess  was  just  going  to  put  a  smile  on  her  lips, 
but  all  at  once  she  got  as  sad  and  serious  as  ever;  and 
so  it  fared  no  better  with  Paul  the  schoolmaster  than 
with  Peter  the  soldier — for  you  must  know  one  was 
called  Peter  and  the  other  Paul.  So  they  took  him 
and  cut  three  red  stripes  out  of  his  back,  and  rubbed 
the  salt  well  in,  and  then  they  sent  him  home  again. 

Then  the  youngest  was  all  for  setting  out,  and  his 
name  was  Taper  Tom ;  but  his  brothers  laughed  and 
jeered  at  him,  and  showed  him  their  sore  backs,  and 
his  father  would  not  give  him  leave,  for  he  said  how 
could  it  be  of  any  use  to  him  when  he  had  no  sense, 
for  wasn't  it  true  that  he  neither  knew  anything  or 
could  do  anything  ?  There  he  sat  in  the  ingle  by  the 
chimney-corner,  like  a  cat,  and  grubbed  in  the  ashes 
and  split  fir  tapers.  That  was  why  they  called  him 
"Taper  Tom."  But  Taper  Tom  wouldn't  give  in,  for 
he  growled  and  grizzled  so  long,  that  they  got  tired 
of  his  growling,  and  so  at  last  he  too  got  leave  to  go 
to  the  king's  grange  and  try  his  luck. 

When  he  got  to  the  king's  grange  he  did  not  say  he 
wished  to  try  to  make  the  princess  laugh,  but  asked  if 
he  could  get  a  place  there.  No,  they  had  no  place 
for  him ;  but  for  all  that  Taper  Tom  wouldn't  take  an 
answer;  they  must  want  some  one,  he  said,  to  carry 
wood  and  water  for  the  kitchen-maid,  in  such  a  big 
grange  as  that — that  was  what  he  said ;  and  the  king 
thought  it  might  very  well  be,  for  he  too  got  tired  of 


Taper  Tom  2 1 7 

his  worry,  and  the  end  was  Taper  Tom  got  leave  to 
stay  there  and  carry  wood  and  water  for  the  kitchen- 
maid. 

So  one  day,  when  he  was  going  to  fetch  water  from 
the  beck,  he  set  eyes  on  a  big  fish  which  lay  under  an 
old  fir  stump,  where  the  water  had  eaten  into  the  bank, 
and  he  put  his  bucket  so  softly  under  the  fish,  and 
caught  it.  But  as  he  was  going  home  to  the  grange  he 
met  an  old  woman  who  led  a  golden  goose  by  a  string. 

"  Good  day,  godmother,"  said  Taper  Tom ;  "  that's 
a  pretty  bird  you  have  got ;  and  what  fine  feathers ! — 
they  dazzle  one  a  long  way  off.  If  one  only  had  such 
feathers  one  might  leave  off  splitting  fir  tapers." 

The  goody  was  just  as  pleased  with  the  fish  Tom  had 
in  his  bucket,  and  said  if  he  would  give  her  the  fish, 
he  might  have  the  golden  goose;  and  it  was  such  a 
goose,  that  when  any  one  touched  it  he  stuck  fast  to 
it,  if  Tom  only  said,  "  Hang  on,  if  you  care  to  come 
with  us." 

Yes !  that  swap  Taper  Tom  was  willing  enough  to 
make. 

"  A  bird  is  as  good  as  a  fish,  any  day,"  he  said  to 
himself;  "and  if  it's  such  a  bird  as  you  say,  I  can  use 
it  as  a  fish-hook."  That  was  what  he  said  to  the 
goody,  and  was  so  pleased  with  the  goose.  Now,  he 
hadn't  gone  far  before  he  met  another  old  woman,  and 
as  soon  as  she  saw  the  lovely  golden  goose  she  was  all 
for  running  up  to  it  and  patting  it;  and  she  spoke  so 
prettily,  and  coaxed  him  so,  and  begged  him  give 
her  leave  to  stroke  his  lovely  golden  goose. 

"With  all  my  heart,"  said  Taper  Tom;  "but  mind 
you  don't  pluck  out  any  of  its  feathers." 


2 1 8  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

Just  as  she  stroked  the  goose,  he  said — 
"  Hang  on,  if  you  care  to  come  with  us !  " 
The  goody  pulled  and  tore,  but  she  was  forced  to 
hang  on,  whether  she  would  or  no,  and  Taper  Tom 
went  before,  as  though  he  alone  were  with  the  golden 
goose.  So  when  he  had  gone  a  bit  farther,  he  met 
a  man  who  had  a  thorn  in  his  side  against  the  goody 
for  a  trick  she  had  played  him.  So  when  he  saw 
how  hard  she  struggled  and  strove  to  get  free,  and 
how  fast  she  stuck,  he  thought  he  would  be  quite 
safe  in  giving  her  one  for  her  nob,  to  pay  off  the 
old  grudge,  and  so  he  just  gave  her  a  kick  with  his 
foot. 

"  Hang  on,  if  you  care  to  come  with  us  !  "  called  out 
Tom,  and  then  the  man  had  to  limp  along  on  one  leg, 
whether  he  would  or  no,  and  when  he  jibbed  and  jibed, 
and  tried  to  break  loose,  it  was  still  worse  for  him,  for 
he  was  all  but  falling  flat  on  his  back  every  step  he 
took. 

So  they  went  on  a  good  bit  till  they  had  about  come 
to  the  king's  grange.  There  they  met  the  king's  smith, 
who  was  going  to  the  smithy,  and  had  a  great  pair  of 
tongs  in  his  hand.  Now  you  must  know  this  smith 
was  a  merry  fellow,  who  was  as  full  of  tricks  and 
pranks  as  an  egg  is  full  of  meat,  and  when  he  saw  this 
string  come  hobbling  and  limping  along,  he  laughed 
so  that  he  was  almost  bent  in  two,  and  then  he  bawled 
out,  "  Surely  this  is  a  new  flock  of  geese  the  princess 
is  going  to  have ;  who  can  tell  which  is  goose  and 
which  gander  ?  Ah  !  I  see,  this  must  be  the  gander 
that  toddles  in  front.  Goosey  !  goosey  !  goosey !  " 
he  called  out ;  and  with  that  he  coaxed  them  to  him, 


Taper   Tom  2 1 9 

and  threw  his  hands  about  as  though  he  were  scattering 
corn  for  the  geese. 

But  the  flock  never  stopped — on  it  went,  and  all 
that  the  goody  and  the  man  did  was  to  look  daggers  at 
the  smith  for  making  game  of  them.  Then  the  smith 
went  on — 

"  It  would  be  fine  fun  to  see  if  I  could  hold  the 
whole  flock,  so  many  as  they  are ; "  for  he  was  a  stout 
strong  fellow,  and  so  he  took  hold,  with  his  big  tongs, 
by  the  old  man's  coat  tail,  and  the  man  all  the  while 
bellowed  and  wriggled  ;  but  Taper  Tom  only  said — 

"  Hang  on,  if  you  care  to  come  with  us." 

So  the  smith  had  to  go  along  too.  He  bent  his 
back  and  stuck  his  heels  into  the  hill,  and  tried  to  get 
loose  ;  but  it  was  all  no  good ;  he  stuck  fast,  as  though 
he  had  been  screwed  tight  with  his  own  anvil,  and, 
whether  he  would  or  no,  he  had  to  dance  along  with 
the  rest. 

So,  when  they  came  near  to  the  king's  grange,  the 
mastiff  ran  out  and  began  to  bay  and  bark  as  though 
they  were  wolves  or  beggars ;  and  when  the  princess 
looked  out  of  the  window  to  see  what  was  the  matter, 
and  set  eyes  on  this  strange  pack,  she  laughed  inwardly. 
But  Taper  Tom  was  not  content  with  that. 

"  Bide  a  bit,"  he  said,  "  she'll  soon  have  to  open  the 
door  of  her  mouth  wider ; "  and  as  he  said  that  he 
turned  off  with  his  band  to  the  back  of  the  grange. 

So,  when  they  passed  by  the  kitchen,  the  door  stood 
open,  and  the  cook  was  just  beating  the  porridge  ;  but 
when  she  saw  Taper  Tom  and  his  pack  she  came  run- 
ning out  at  the  door,  with  her  brush  in  one  hand, 
and  a  wooden  ladle  full  of  smoking  porridge  in  the  other, 


220 


Tales  from  the  Ffeld 


and  she  laughed  as  though  her  sides  would  split ;  and 

when  she  saw  the  smith  there  too,  she  slapped  her 

thigh     and 

went     o  ff 

again  in  a 

loud    peal. 

But    when 

she  had 

laughed 

her       T^~ 

laugh 

out,   she  too  thought   the 

golden  goose  so  lovely  she 

must  just  stroke  it. 

"  Taper    Tom  !     Taper 
Tom  ! "    she  bawled    out, 


and  came  running  out  with  the  ladle 
of  porridge  in  her  fist,  "may  I  have 
leave  to  stroke  that  pretty  bird  of 
yours  ?  " 

"  Better  let  her  stroke    me,"   said 
the  smith. 

"  I  dare  say,"  said  Taper  Tom. 

But  when  the  cook  heard  that  she  got  angry. 


Taper   Tom  221 

"  What  is  that  you  say  ?  "  she  cried,  and  let  fly  at 
the  smith  with  the  ladle. 

"  Hang  on,  if  you  care  to  come  with  us,"  said  Taper 
Tom.  So  she  stuck  fast,  she  too ;  and  for  all  her 
kicks  and  plunges,  and  all  her  scolding  and  screaming, 
and  all  her  riving  and  striving,  and  all  her  rage,  she 
too  had  to  limp  along  with  them. 

But  when  they  came  outside  the  window  of  the 
princess,  there  she  stood,  waiting  for  them ;  and  when 
she  saw  they  had  taken  the  cook  too,  with  her  ladle 
and  brush,  she  opened  her  mouth  wide,  and  laughed 
loud,  so  that  the  king  had  to  hold  her  upright.  So 
Taper  Tom  got  the  princess  and  half  the  kingdom; 
and  they  had  such  a  merry  wedding,  it  was  heard  and 
talked  of  far  and  -.vide. 


The  Trolls   in   Hedale  Wood 


Pat  a  place  in  Vaage,  in 
Gudbrandsdale,  there 
lived  once  on  a  time  in 
the  days  of  old  a  poor 
couple.  They  had 
many  children,  and 
two  of  the  sons  who 
were  about  half  grown 
up  had  to  be  always 
roaming  about  the 
country  begging.  So 
that  they  were  well  acquainted  with  all  the  highways 
and  byways,  and  they  also  knew  the  short  cut  into 
Hedale. 

It  happened  once  that  they  wanted  to  go  thither, 
but  at  the  same  time  they  heard  that  some  falconers 
had  built  themselves  a  hut  at  Maela,  and  so  they 
wished  to  kill  two  birds  with  one  stone,  and  see  the 
birds,  and  how  they  are  taken,  and  so  they  took  the 
cut  across  Longmoss.  But  you  must  know  it  was 
far  on  towards  autumn,  and  so  the  milkmaids  had  all 
gone  home  from  the  shielings,  and  they  could  neither 
get  shelter  nor  food.     Then  they  had  to  keep  straight 


The   Trolls  in  He  dale  Wood         223 

on  for  Hedale,  but  the  path  was  a  mere  track,  and 
when  night  fell  they  lost  it;  and,  worse  still,  they 
could  not  find  the  falconers'  hut  either,  and  before 
they  knew  where  they  were,  they  found  themselves  in 
the  very  depths  of  the  forest.  As  soon  as  they  saw 
they  could  not  get  on,  they  began  to  break  boughs,  lit 
a  fire,  and  built  themselves  a  bower  of  branches,  for 
they  had  a  hand-axe  with  them ;  and,  after  that,  they 
plucked  heather  and  moss  and  made  themselves  a  bed. 
So  a  little  while  after  they  had  lain  down,  they  heard 
something  which  sniffed  and  snuffed  so  with  its  nose; 
then  the  boys  pricked  up  their  ears  and  listened 
sharp  to  hear  whether  it  were  wild  beasts  or  wood 
Trolls,  and  just  then  something  snuffed  up  the  air 
louder  than  ever,  and  said— 

"  There's  a  smell  of  Christian  blood  here !  " 

At  the  same  time  they  heard  such  a  heavy  footfall 
that  the  earth  shook  under  it,  and  then  they  knew 
well  enough  the  Trolls  must  be  about. 

"  Heaven  help  us !  what  shall  we  do  ? "  said  the 
younger  boy  to  his  brother. 

"  Oh  !  you  must  stand  as  you  are  under  the  fir,  and 
be  ready  to  take  our  bags  and  run  away  when  you  see 
them  coming ;  as  for  me,  I  will  take  the  hand-axe," 
said  the  other. 

All  at  once  they  saw  the  Trolls  coming  at  them  like 
mad,  and  they  were  so  tall  and  stout,  their  heads  were 
just  as  high  as  the  fir-tops;  but  it  was  a  good  thing 
they  had  only  one  eye  between  them  all  three,  and  that 
they  used  turn  and  turn  about.  They  had  a  hole  in 
their  foreheads  into  which  they  put  it,  and  turned  and 
twisted  it  with  their  hands.     The  one  that  went  first 


224  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

he  must  have  it  to  see  his  way,  and  the  others  went 
behind  and  took  hold  of  the  first. 

"Take  up  the  traps,"  said  the  elder  of  the  boys, 
"  but  don't  run  away  too  far,  but  see  how  things  go ; 
as  they  carry  their  eye  so  high  aloft  they'll  find  it  hard 
to  see  me  when  I  get  behind  them." 

Yes  !  the  brother  ran  before  and  the  Trolls  after  him, 
meanwhile  the  elder  got  behind  them  and  chopped  the 
hindmost  Troll  with  his  axe  on  the  ankle,  so  that  the 
Troll  gave  an  awful  shriek,  and  the  foremost  Troll  got 
so  afraid  he  was  all  of  a  shake  and  dropped  the  eye. 
But  the  boy  was  not  slow  to  snap  it  up.  It  was  bigger 
than  two  quart  pots  put  together,  and  so  clear  and 
bright,  that  though  it  was  pitch  dark,  everything  was 
as  clear  as  day  as  soon  as  he  looked  through  it. 

When  the  Trolls  saw  he  had  taken  their  eye  and 
done  one  of  them  harm,  they  began  to  threaten  him 
with  all  the  evil  in  the  world  if  he  didn't  give  back  the 
eye  at  once. 

"  I  don't  care  a  farthing  for  Trolls  and  threats,"  said 
the  boy,  "now  I've  got  three  eyes  to  myself  and  you 
three  have  got  none,  and  besides  two  of  you  have  to 
carry  the  third." 

"  If  we  don't  get  our  eye  back  this  minute,  you  shall 
be  both  turned  to  stocks  and  stones,"  screeched  the 
Trolls. 

But  the  boy  thought  things  needn't  go  so  fast ;  he 
was  not  afraid  for  witchcraft  or  hard  words.  If  they 
didn't  leave  him  in  peace  he'd  chop  them  all  three,  so 
that  they  would  have  to  creep  and  crawl  along  the 
earth  like  cripples  and  crabs. 

When  the  Trolls  heard  that  they  got  still  more  afraid, 


The   Trolls  in  Hedale  Wood         225 

and  began  to  use  soft  words.  They  begged  so  prettily 
that  he  would  give  them  their  eye  back,  and  then  he 
should  have  both  gold  and  silver  and  all  that  he  wished 
to  ask.  Yes !  that  seemed  all  very  fine  to  the  lad,  but 
he  must  have  the  gold  and  silver  first,  and  so  he  said 
if  one  of  them  would  go  home  and  fetch  as  much  gold 
and  silver  as  would  fill  his  and  his  brother's  bags,  and 
give  them  two  good  cross-bows  beside,  they  might  have 
their  eye,  but  he  should  keep  it  until  they  did  what  he 
aaid. 

The  Trolls  were  very  put  out,  and  said  none  of  them 
could  go  when  he  hadn't  his  eye  to  see  with  ;  but  all  at 
once  one  of  them  began  to  bawl  out  for  their  goody  ;  for 
you  must  know  they  had  a  goody  between  them  all 
three  as  well  as  an  eye.  After  a  while  an  answer  came 
from  a  knoll  a  long  way  off  to  the  north.  So  the  Trolls 
said  she  must  come  with  two  steel  cross-bows  and  two 
Duckets  full  of  gold  and  silver ;  and  then  it  was  not  long, 
you  may  fancy,  before  she  was  there.  And  when  she 
heard  what  had  happened,  she  too  began  to  threaten 
them  with  witchcraft.  But  the  Trolls  got  so  afraid,  and 
begged  her  beware  of  the  little  wasp,  for  they  couldn't 
be  sure  he  would  not  take  away  her  eye  too.  So  she 
threw  them  the  cross-bows  and  the  buckets  and  the 
gold  and  the  silver,  and  strode  off  to  the  knoll  with  the 
Trolls ;  and  since  that  time  no  one  has  ever  heard  that 
the  Trolls  have  walked  in  Hedale  Wood  snuffing  after 
Christian  blood. 


The   Skipper  and  Old  Nick 


NCE  on  a  time  there 
was  a  skipper  who 
was  so  wonderfully 
lucky  in  everything 
he  undertook;  there 
was  no  one  who  got 
such  freights,  and  no 
one  who  earned  so 
much  money,  for  it 
rolled  in  upon  him 
on  all  sides,  and,  in 
a  word,  there  was 
no  one  who  was 
good  to  make  such 
voyages  as  he,  for  whithersoever  he  sailed,  he  took  the 
wind  with  him — nay,  men  did  say  he  had  only  to  turn  his 
hat  and  the  wind  turned  the  way  he  wished  it  to  blow. 
So  he  sailed  for  many  years,  both  in  the  timber  trade 
and  to  China,  and  he  had  gathered  money  together  like 
grass.  But  it  so  happened  that  once  he  was  coming 
home  across  the  North  Sea  with  every  sail  set,  as  though 
he  had  stolen  both  ship  and  lading  ;  but  he  who  wanted 
to  lay  hold  on  him  went  faster  still.  It  was  Old  Nick, 
for  with  him  he  had  made  a  bargain,  as  one  may  well 


The  Skipper  and  Old  Nick  227 


fancy,  and  that  very  day  the  time  was  up,  and  he  might 
look  any  moment  that  Old  Nick  would  come  and  fetch 
him. 

Well,  the  skipper  came  up  on  deck  out  of  the  cabin 
and  looked  at  the 
weather;  then  he 
called  for  the  car- 
penter and  some 
others  of  the  crew, 
and  said  they  must 
go  down  into  the 
hold  and  hew  two 
holes  in  the  ship's 
bottom,  and  when 
they  had  done  that 
they  were  to  lift 
the  pumps  out  of 
their  beds  and  drive 
them  down  tight 
into  the  holes  they 
had  made,  so  that 
the  sea  might  rise 
high  up  into  the 
pumps. 

The  crew  wondered  at  all  this,  and  thought  it  a 
funny  bit  of  work,  but  they  did  as  the  skipper  ordered  ; 
they  hewed  holes  in  the  ship's  bottom  and  drove  the 
pumps  in  so  tight  that  never  a  drop  of  water  could 
come  to  the  cargo,  but  up  in  the  pump  itself  the  North 
Sea  stood  seven  feet  high. 

They  had  only  just  thrown  the  chips  overboard 
after  their  piece  of  work   when   Old   Nick  came   on 


228 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


board  in  a  gust  of  wind  and  caught  the  skipper  by  the 
throat. 

"Stop,  father!"  said  the  skipper;  "there's  no  need 
to  be  in  such  a  hurry,"  and  as  he  said  that  he  began  to 
defend  himself  and  to  loose  the  claws  which  Old  Nick 
had  stuck  into  him  by  the  help  of  a  marling-spike. 

"  Haven't  you  made  a  bargain  that  you  would  always 
keep  the  ship  dry  and  tight  ? "  asked  the  skipper. 
"Yes!  your  a  pretty  fellow;  look  down  the  pumps; 


there's  the  water  standing  seven  feet  high  in  the  pipe. 
Pump,  devil,  pump !  and  pump  the  ship  dry,  and  then 
you  may  take  me  and  have  me  as  soon  and  as  long  as 
you  choose." 

Old  Nick  was  not  so  clever  that  he  was  not  taken 
in  ;  he  pumped  and  strove,  and  the  sweat  ran  down  his 
back  like  a  brook,  so  that  you  might  have  turned  a  mill 
at  the  end  of  his  backbone,  but  he  only  pumped  out  of 
the  North  Sea  and  into  the  North  Sea  again.    At  last  he 


The  Skipper  and  Old  Nick  229 

got  tired  of  that  work,  and  when  he  could  not  pump  a 
stroke  more,  he  set  off  in  a  sad  temper  home  to  his 
grandmother  to  take  a  rest.  As  for  the  skipper,  he  let 
him  stay  a  skipper  as  long  as  he  chose,  and  if  he  isn't 
dead,  he  is  still  perhaps  sailing  on  his  voyages  whither- 
soever he  will,  and  twisting  the  wind  as  he  choses  only 
by  turning  his  hat. 


Goody  Gainst-the-Stream 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  man  who  had  a 
goody  who  was  so  cross-grained  that  there  was 
no  living  with  her.  As  for  her  husband,  he  could 
not  get  on  with  her  at  all,  for  whatever  he  wished  she 
set  her  face  right  against  it. 

So  it  fell  one  Sunday  in  summer  that  the  man  and 
his  wife  went  out  into  the  field  to  see  how  the  crop 
looked  ;  and  when  they  came  to  a  field  of  rye  on  the 
other  side  of  the  river,  the  man  said — 

"  Ay  !  now  it  is  ripe.  To-morrow  we  must  set  to 
work  and  reap  it." 

"Yes,"  said  his  wife,  "  to-morrow  we  can  set  to  work 
and  shear  it." 

"  What  do  you  say  ?  "  said  the  man ;  "  shall  we  shear 
it  ?     Mayn't  we  just  as  well  reap  it  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  the  goody,  "  it  shall  be  shorn." 

"  There  is  nothing  so  bad  as  a  little  knowledge,"  said 
the  man,  "  but  you  must  have  lost  the  little  wit  you 
had.     When  did  you  ever  hear  of  shearing  a  field  ?  " 

"  I  know  little,  and  I  care  to  know  little,  I  dare  say," 
said  the  goody,  "  but  I  know  very  well  that  this  field 
shall  be  shorn  and  not  reaped." 

That  was  what  she  said,  and  there  was  no  help  for 
it ;  it  must  and  should  be  shorn. 


Goody  Gainst -the-Strea?n 


231 


So  they  walked  about  and  quarrelled  and  strove  till 
they  came  to  the  bridge  across  the  river,  just  above  a 
deep  hole. 

'"Tis  an  old  saying,"  said  the  man,  "that  good  tools 
make  good  work,  but  I  fancy  it  will  be  a  fine  swathe 
that  is  shorn  with  a  pair  of  shears.  Mayn't  we  just  as 
well  reap  the  field  after  all  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  No  !  no  !  shear  !  shear  !  "  bawled  out  the  goody,  who 
jumped  about  and  clipped  like  a  pair  of  scissors  under 
her  husband's 
nose.  In  her 
shrewishness  she 
took  such  little 
heed  that  she  trip- 
ped over  a  beam 
on  the  bridge,  and 
clown  she  went 
plump  into  the 
stream. 

"Tis    hard   to 
wean      any     one 

from  bad  ways,"  said  the  man,  "  but  it  were  strange  if 
I  were  not  sometimes  in  the  right  too." 

Then  he  swam  out  into  the  hole  and  caught  his  wife 
by  the  hair  of  her  head,  and  so  got  her  head  above  water. 

"  Shall  we  reap  the  field  now  ?  "  were  the  first  words 
he  said. 

"  Shear  !  shear  !  shear !  "  screeched  the  goody. 

"  I'll  teach  you  to  shear,"  said  the  man,  as  he  ducked 
her  under  the  water;  but  it  was  no  good,  they  must 
shear  it,  the  said,  as  soon  as  ever  she  came  up  again. 

"I  can't  think  anything  else  than  that  the  goody  is 


232  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

mad,"  said  the  man  to  himself.  "  Many  are  mad,  and 
never  know  it;  many  have  wit,  and  never  show  it;  but 
all  the  same,  I'll  try  her  once  more." 

But  as  soon  as  ever  he  ducked  her  under  the  water 
again,  she  held  her  hands  up  out  of  the  water  and  began 
to  clip  with  her  fingers  like  a  pair  of  shears.  Then  the 
man  fell  into  a  great  rage  and  ducked  her  down  both 
well  and  long ;  but  while  he  was  about  it,  the  goody's 
head  fell  down  below  the  water,  and  she  got  so  heavy 
all  at  once,  that  he  had  to  let  her  go. 

"  No  !  no  !  "  he  said,  "  you  wish  to  drag  me  down  with 
you  into  the  hole,  but  you  may  lie  there  by  yourself." 

So  the  goody  was  left  in  the  river. 

But  after  a  while  the  man  thought  it  was  ill  she 
should  lie  there  and  not  get  Christian  burial,  and  so  he 
went  down  the  course  of  the  stream  and  hunted  and 
searched  for  her,  but  for  all  his  pains  he  could  not  find 
her.  Then  he  came  with  all  his  men  and  brought  his 
neighbours  with  him,  and  they  all  in  a  body  began  to 
drag  the  stream  and  to  search  for  her  all  along  it.  But 
for  all  their  searching  they  found  no  goody. 

"  Oh  ! "  said  the  man,  "  I  have  it.  All  this  is  no  good  ; 
we  search  in  the  wrong  place.  This  goody  was  a  sort 
by  herself;  there  was  not  such  another  in  the  world  while 
she  was  alive.  She  was  so  cross  and  contrary,  and  I'll 
be  bound  it  is  just  the  same  now  she  is  dead.  We  had 
better  just  go  and  hunt  for  her  up  stream,  and  drag  for 
her  above  the  force  ; x  maybe  she  has  floated  up  thither." 

And  so  it  was.  They  went  up  stream  and  sought 
for  her  above  the  force,  and  there  lay  the  goody,  sure 
enough  !  Yes  !  she  was  well  called  GOODY  GAINST- 
the-Stream. 

1  Waterfall. 


Tj)e   JRJ[NCe      IDISOQISSINTO 


How  to  Win  a  Prince 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  king's  son  who  made 
love  to  a  lass,  but  after  they  had  become  great 
friends   and    were   as   good    as    betrothed,   the 
prince  began  to  think  little  of  her,  and  he  got  it  into  his 
head  that  she  wasn't  clever  enough  for  him,  and  so  he 
wouldn't  have  her. 

So  he  thought  how  he  might  be  rid  of  her ;  and  at 
last  he  said  he  would  take  her  to  wife  all  the  same  if 
she  could  come  to  him — 

"  Not  driving, 
And  not  riding ; 
Not  walking, 
And  not  carried  j 
Not  fasting, 
And  not  full-fed  ; 
Not  naked, 
And  not  clad  ; 
Not  in  the  daylight, 
And  not  by  night." 

For  all  that  he  fancied  she  could  never  do. 

So  she  took  three  barleycorns  and  swallowed  them, 
and  then  she  was  not  fasting,  and  yet  not  full-fed ;  and 
next  she  threw  a  net  over  her,  and  so  she  was 

Not  naked, 
And  yet  not  clad 


236  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

Next  she  got  a  ram  and  sat  on  him,  so  that  her  feet 
touched  the  ground;  and  so  she  waddled  along,  and 
was 

Not  driving, 

And  not  riding ; 

Not  walking, 

And  not  carried. 

And  all  this  happened  in  the  twilight,  betwixt  night 
and  day. 

So  when  she  came  to  the  guard  at  the  palace,  she 
begged  that  she  might  have  leave  to  speak  with  the 
prince  ;  but  they  wouldn't  open  the  gate,  she  looked 
such  a  figure  of  fun. 

But  for  all  that  the  noise  woke  up  the  prince,  and  he 
went  to  the  window  to  see  what  it  was. 

So  she  waddled  up  to  the  window,  and  twisted  off  one 
of  the  ram's  horns,  and  took  it  and  rapped  with  it  against 
the  window. 

And  so  they  had  to  let  her  in  and  have  her  for  their 
princess. 


Boots  and  the  Beasts 


NCE  on  a  time  there  was 
a  man  who  had  an  only 
son,  but  he  lived  in  need 
and  wretchedness,  and 
when  he  lay  on  his 
deathbed,  he  told  his 
son  he  had  nothing  in 
the  world  but  a  sword, 
a  bit  of  coarse  linen,  and 
a  few  crusts  of  bread — 
that  was  all  he  had  to 
leave  him.  Well,  when 
the  man  was  dead,  the  lad  made  up  his  mind  to  go  out 
into  the  world  to  try  his  luck ;  so  he  girded  the  sword 
about  him,  and  took  the  crusts  and  laid  them  in  the 
bit  of  linen  for  his  travelling  fare ;  for  you  must  know 
they  lived  far  away  up  on  a  hillside  in  the  wood,  far 
from  folk.  Now  the  way  he  went  took  him  over  a 
fell,  and  when  he  had  got  up  so  high  that  he  could  look 
over  the  country,  he  set  his  eyes  on  a  lion,  a  falcon, 
and  an  ant,  who  stood  there  quarrelling  over  a  dead 
horse.  The  lad  was  sore  afraid  when  he  saw  the 
lion,  but  he  called  out  to  him  and  said  he  must  come 


2  3  8  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

and  settle  the  strife  between  them  and  share  the  horse, 
so  that  each  should  get  what  he  ought  to  have. 

So  the  lad  took  his  sword,  and  shared  the  horse  as 
well  as  he  could.  To  the  lion  he  gave  the  carcass  and 
the  greater  portion  ;  the  falcon  got  some  of  the  entrails 
and  other  tit-bits;  and  the  ant  got  the  head.  When 
he  had  done,  he  said — 

"  Now  I  think  it  is  fairly  shared.  The  lion  shall 
have  most,  because  he  is  biggest  and  strongest;  the 
falcon  shall  have  the  best,  because  he  is  nice  and 
dainty;  and  the  ant  shall  have  the  skull,  because  he 
loves  to  creep  about  in  holes  and  crannies." 

Yes !  they  were  all  well  pleased  with  his  sharing ; 
and  so  they  asked  him  what  he  would  like  to  have  for 
sharing  the  horse  so  well. 

"Oh,"  he  said,  "if  I  have  done  you  a  service,  and 
you  are  pleased  with  it,  I  am  also  pleased ;  but  I  won't 
be  paid." 

Yes ;  but  he  must  have  something,  they  said. 

"If  you  won't  have  anything  else,"  said  the  lion, 
"you  shall  have  three  wishes." 

But  the  lad  knew  not  what  to  wish  for ;  and  so  tin 
lion  asked  him  if  he  wouldn't  wish  that  he  might  be 
able  to  turn  himself  into  a  lion ;  and  the  two  others 
asked  him  if  he  wouldn't  wish  to  be  able  to  turn  him- 
self into  a  falcon  and  an  ant.  Yes !  all  that  seemed 
to  him  good  and  right ;  and  so  he  wished  these  three 
wishes. 

Then  he  threw  aside  his  sword  and  wallet,  turned 
himself  into  a  falcon,  and  began  to  fly.  So  he  flew  on 
and  on,  till  he  came  over  a  great  lake ;  but  when  he 
had  almost  flown  across  it  he  got  so  tired  and  sore  on 


%e  princess 


Boots  and  the  Beasts 


1\\ 


the  wing  he  couldn't  fly  any  longer ;  and  as  he  saw  a 
steep  rock  that  rose  out  of  the  water,  he  perched  on  it 
and  rested  himself.  He  thought  it  a  wondrous  strong 
rock,  and  walked  about  it  for  a  while;  but  when  he 
had  taken  a  good  rest,  he  turned  himself  again  into  a 
little  falcon,  and  flew  away  till  he  came  to  the  king's 
grange.  There  he  perched  on  a  tree,  just  before  the 
princess's  windows.  When  she  saw  the  falcon,  she  set 
her  heart  on  catching  it.     So  she  lured  it  to  her;  and 


rT-'X 


as  soon  as  the  falcon  came  under  the  casement  she 
was  ready,  and,  pop !  she  shut-to  the  window,  and 
caught  the  bird,  and  put  him  into  a  cage. 

In  the  night  the  lad  turned  himself  into  an  ant 
and  crept  out  of  the  cage;  and  then  he  turned  him- 
self into  his  own  shape,  and  went  up  and  sat  down 
by  the  princess's  bed.  Then  she  got  so  afraid,  that  she 
fell  to  screeching  out  and  awoke  the  king,  who  made 
into  her  room  and  asked  whatever  was  the  matter. 

Q 


2/12  Tales  from  the  Fje/d 

"  Oh  !  "  said  the  princess,  "  there  is  some  one  here." 

But  in  a  trice  the  lad  became  an  ant,  crept  into 
the  cage,  and  turned  himself  into  a  falcon.  The  king 
could  see  nothing  for  her  to  be  afraid  of;  so  he  said 
to  the  princess  it  must  have  been  the  nightmare 
riding  her.  But  he  was  hardly  out  of  the  door  before 
it  was  the  same  story  over  again.  The  lad  crept 
out  of  the  cage  as  an  ant,  and  then  became  his  own 
self,  and  sat  down  by  the  bedside  of  the  princess. 

Then  she  screamed  loud,  and  the  king  came  again 
to  see  what  was  the  matter. 

"There  is  some  one  here,"  screamed  the  princess. 
But  the  lad  crept  into  the  cage  again,  and  sat  perched 
up  there  like  a  falcon.  The  king  looked  and  hunted 
high  and  low ;  and  when  he  could  see  nothing,  he  got 
cross  that  his  rest  was  broken,  and  said  it  was  all  a 
trick  of  the  princess. 

"  If  you  scream  like  that  again,"  he  said,  "you  shall 
soon  know  that  your  father  is  the  king." 

But  for  all  that,  the  king's  back  was  scarcely  turned 
before  the  lad  was  by  the  princess's  side  again.  This 
time  she  did  not  scream,  although  she  was  so  afraid 
she  did  not  know  which  way  to  turn. 

So  the  lad  asked  why  she  was  so  afraid. 

Didn't  he  know  ?  She  was  promised  to  a  hill-ogre, 
and  the  very  first  time  she  came  under  bare  sky  he 
was  to  come  and  take  her ;  and  so  when  the  lad  came 
she  thought  it  was  the  hill-ogre.  And  besides,  every 
Thursday  morning  came  a  messenger  from  the  hill- 
ogre,  and  that  was  a  dragon,  to  whom  the  king  had 
to  give  nine  fat  pigs  every  time  he  came;  and  that 
was  why  he  had  given  it  out  that  the  man  who  could 


Boots  and  the  Beasts  243 

free  him  from  the  dragon  should  have  the  princess  and 
half  the  kingdom. 

The  lad  said  he  would  soon  do  that ;  and  as  soon 
as  it  was  daybreak  the  princess  went  to  the  king  and 
said  there  was  a  man  in  there  who  would  free  him 
from  the  dragon  and  the  tax  of  pigs.  As  soon  as 
the  king  heard  that,  he  was  very  glad,  for  the  dragon 
had  eaten  up  so  many  pigs,  there  would  soon  have 
been  no  more  left  in  the  whole  kingdom.  It  happened 
that  day  was  just  a  Thursday  morning,  and  so  the 
lad  strode  off  to  the  spot  where  the  dragon  used  to 
come  to  eat  the  pigs,  and  the  shoeblack  in  the  king's 
grange  showed  him  the  way. 

Yes,  the  dragon  came,  and  he  had  nine  heads,  and 
he  was  so  wild  and  wroth,  that  fire  and  flame  flared  out 
of  his  nostrils  when  he  did  not  see  his  feast  of  pigs ; 
and  he  flew  upon  the  lad  as  though  he  would  gobble 
him  up  alive.  But,  pop  !  he  turned  himself  into  a  lion, 
and  fought  with  the  dragon,  and  tore  one  head  off  him 
after  another.  The  dragon  was  strong,  that  he  was, 
and  he  spat  fire  and  venom.  But  as  the  fight  went  on 
he  hadn't  more  than  one  head  left,  though  that  was  the 
toughest.  At  last  the  lad  got  that  torn  off  too;  and 
then  it  was  all  over  with  the  dragon. 

So  he  went  to  the  king,  and  there  was  great  joy  all 
over  the  palace ;  and  the  lad  was  to  have  the  princess. 
But  once  on  a  time,  as  they  were  walking  in  the 
garden,  the  hill-ogre  came  flying  at  them  himself, 
and  caught  up  the  princess  and  bore  her  off  through 
the  air. 

As  for  the  lad,  he  was  for  going  after  her  at  once ; 
but  the  king  said  he  mustn't  do  that,  for  he  had  no  one 


244 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


else  to  lean  on  now  he  had  lost  his  daughter.  But  for 
all  that,  neither  prayers  nor  preaching  were  any  good ; 
the  lad  turned  himself  into  a  falcon  and  flew  off.  But 
when  he  could  not  see  them  anywhere,  he  called  to 
mind  that  wonderful  rock  in  the  lake,  where  he  had 
rested  the  first  time  he  ever  flew.     So  he  settled  there; 

and  after  he  had  done  that, 
he  turned  himself  into  an 
ant,  and  crept  down  through 
a  crack  in  the  rock.  So 
when  he  had  crept  about 
awhile,  he  came  to  a  door 
which  was  locked.  But  he 
knew  a  way  how  to  get  in, 
for  he  crept  through  the 
keyhole,  and  what  do  you 
think  he  saw  there  ?  Why, 
a  strange  princess  combing 
a  hill-ogre's  hair  that  had 
three  heads. 

"  I  have  come  all  right," 
said  the  lad  to  himself;  for  he 
had  heard  how  the  king  had 
lost  two  daughters  before, 
whom  the  Trolls  had  taken. 
"  Maybe  I  shall  find  the  second  also,"  he  said  to 
himself,  as  he  crept  through  the  keyhole  of  a  second 
door.  There  sat  a  strange  princess  combing  a  hill- 
ogre's  hair  who  had  six  heads.  So  he  crept  through 
a  third  keyhole  still,  and  there  sat  the  youngest  prin- 
cess combing  a  hill-ogre's  hair  with  nine  heads.  Then 
he  crept  up  her  leg  and  stung  her,  and  so  she  knew  it 


Boots  and  the  Beasts  245 

was  the  lad  who  wished  to  talk  to  her;  and  then  she 
begged  leave  of  the  hill-ogre  to  go  out. 

When  she  came  out  the  lad  was  himself  again,  and 
so  he  told  her  she  must  ask  the  hill-ogre  whether  she 
would  never  get  away  and  go  home  to  her  father. 
Then  he  turned  himself  into  an  ant  and  sat  on  her 
foot,  and  so  the  princess  went  into  the  house  again, 
and  fell  to  combing  the  hill-ogre's  hair. 

So  when  she  had  done  this  awhile  she  fell  a-thinking. 

"You're  forgetting  to  comb  me,"  said  the  hill-ogre. 
"What  is  it  you're  thinking  of?" 

"  Oh,  I  am  doubting  whether  I  shall  ever  get  away 
from  this  place,  and  home  to  my  father's  grange,"  said 
the  princess. 

"Nay,  nay,  that  you'll  never  do,"  said  the  hill- 
ogre  ;  "  not  unless  you  can  find  the  grain  of  sand  which 
lies  under  the  ninth  tongue  of  the  ninth  head  of  the 
dragon  to  which  your  father  paid  tax ;  but  that  no 
one  will  ever  find ;  for  if  that  grain  of  sand  came  over 
the  rock,  all  the  hill-ogres  would  burst,  and  the  rock 
itself  would  become  a  gilded  palace,  and  the  lake 
green  meadows." 

As  soon  as  the  lad  heard  that,  he  crept  out  through 
the  keyholes,  and  through  the  crack  in  the  rock,  till 
he  got  outside.  Then  he  turned  himself  into  a  falcon, 
and  flew  whither  the  dragon  lay.  Then  he  hunted 
till  he  found  the  grain  of  sand  under  the  ninth  tongue 
of  the  ninth  head,  and  flew  off  with  it ;  but  when  he 
came  to  the  lake  he  got  tired,  so  tired  that  he  had 
to  sink  down  and  perch  on  a  stone  by  the  strand. 
And  just  as  he  sat  there  he  dozed  and  nodded  for  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye ;  and  meantime  the  grain  of  sand 


246  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

fell  out  of  his  bill  down  among  the  sand  on  the  shore. 
So  he  searched  for  it  three  da\'s  before  he  found  it 
again.  But  as  soon  as  he  had  found  it  he  flew  straight 
off  to  the  steep  rock  with  it,  and  dropped  it  down  the 
crack.  Then  all  the  hill-ogres  burst,  and  the  rock 
was  rent,  and  there  stood  a  gilded  castle,  which  was 
the  grandest  castle  in  all  the  world;  and  the  lake 
became  the  loveliest  fields  and  the  greenest  meads  any- 
one ever  saw. 

So  they  travelled  back  to  the  king's  grange,  and 
there  arose,  as  you  may  fancy,  joy  and  gladness.  The 
lad  and  the  youngest  princess  were  to  have  one 
another ;  and  they  kept  up  the  bridal  feast  over  the 
whole  kingdom  for  seven  full  weeks.  And  if  they  did 
not  fare  well,  I  only  hope  you  may  fare  better  still. 


The   Sweetheart  in  the  Wood 


»  NCE  on  a  time 
there  was  a 
man  who  had 
a  daughter, 
and  she  was 
so  pretty,  her 
name  was 
spread  over 
many  king- 
doms, and 
lovers  came 
to  heras thick 
as  autumn 
leaves.  One 
of  these  made 

out  that  he  was  richer  than  all  the  rest ;  and  grand 
and  handsome  he  was,  too ;  so  he  was  to  have  her,  and 
after  that  he  came  over  and  over  again  to  see  her. 

As  time  went  on,  he  said  he  should  like  her  to  come 
to  his  house  and  see  how  he  lived.  He  was  sorry  he 
could  not  fetch  her  and  go  with  her,  but  the  day  she 
came  he  would  strew  peas  all  along  the  path  right  up 
to  his  house  door;  but  somehow  or  other  it  fell  out 
that  he  strewed  the  peas  a  day  too  early. 


248  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

She  set  out  and  walked  a  long  way,  through  wood 
and  waste,  and  at  last  she  came  to  a  big  grand  house, 
whicli  stood  in  a  green  field  in  the  midst  of  the  wood ; 
but  her  lover  was  not  at  home,  nor  was  there  a  soul 
in  the  house  either.  First  she  went  into  the  kitchen, 
and  there  she  saw  nothing  but  a  strange  bird,  which 
hung  in  a  cage  from  the  roof.  Next  she  went  into  the 
parlour,  and  there  everything  was  so  fine,  it  was  beyond 
belief.  But  as  she  went  into  it,  the  bird  called  after 
her — 

"  Pretty  maiden  !  be  bold,  but  not  too  bold." 

When  she  passed  on  into  an  inner  room,  the  bird 
called  out  the  same  words.  There  she  saw  ever  so 
many  chests  of  drawers ;  and  when  she  pulled  open 
the  drawers,  they  were  filled  witli  gold  and  silver,  and 
everything  that  was  rich  and  rare.  When  she  went 
on  into  a  second  room,  the  bird  called  out  again — 

"  Pretty  maiden  !  be  bold,  but  not  too  bold." 

In  that  room  the  walls  were  all  hung  round  with 
women's  dresses,  till  the  room  was  crammed  full. 
She  went  on  into  a  third  room,  and  then  the  bird 
screamed  out — 

11  Pretty  maiden !  pretty  maiden !  be  bold,  but  not 
too  bold." 

And  what  do  you  think  she  saw  there  ?  Why,  ever 
so  many  pails  full  of  blood. 

So  she  passed  on  to  a  fourth  room,  and  then  the 
bird  screamed  and  screeched  after  her — ■ 

"  Pretty  maiden !  pretty  maiden  !  be  bold,  but  not 
too  bold." 

That  room  was  full  of  heaps  of  dead  bodies  and 
skeletons  of  slain  women,  and  the  girl  got  so  afraid 


The  Sweetheart  in  the  Wood          249 

that  she  was  going  to  run  away  out  of  the  house,  but 
she  had  only  got  as  far  as  the  next  room,  where  the 


...... .  ,M  i 


•■■ ;  n- r-v^gft' •ft\wgtw*ytv-«tt» 


pails  of  blood  stood,  when  the  bird  called  out  to  her — 
"Pretty  maiden!    pretty  maiden!  jump  under  the 
bed,  jump  under  the  bed,  for  now  he's  coming." 


250  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

She  was  not  slow  to  give  heed  to  the  bird  and  to 
hide  under  the  bed.  She  crept  as  far  back  close  to  the 
wall  as  she  could,  for  she  was  so  afraid  she  would 
have  crept  into  the  wall  itself,  had  she  been  able. 

So  in  came  her  lover  with  another  girl ;  and  she 
begged  so  prettily  and  so  hard  he  would  only  spare 
her  life,  and  then  she  would  never  say  a  word  against 
him;  but  it  was  all  no  good.  He  tore  off  all  her 
clothes  and  jewels,  down  to  a  ring  which  she  had  on 
her  finger.  That  he  pulled  and  tore  at ;  but  when  he 
couldn't  get  it  off  he  hacked  off  her  finger,  and  it  rolled 
away  under  the  bed  to  the  girl  who  lay  there,  and  she 
took  it  up  and  kept  it.  Her  sweetheart  told  a  little 
boy  who  was  with  him  to  creep  under  the  bed  and 
bring  out  the  finger.  Yes  ;  he  bent  down  and  crept 
under,  and  saw  the  girl  lying  there ;  but  she  squeezed 
his  hand  hard,  and  then  he  saw  what  she  meant. 

"  It  lies  so  far  under,  I  can't  reach  it,"  he  cried. 
"  Let  it  bide  there  till  to-morrow,  and  then  I'll  fetch 
it  out." 

Early  next  morning  the  robber  went  out,  and  the 
boy  was  left  behind  to  mind  the  house,  and  he  then 
went  to  meet  the  girl  to  whom  his  master  was  be- 
trothed, and  who  had  come,  as  you  know,  by  mistake 
the  day  before.  But  before  he  went,  the  robber  told 
him  to  be  sure  not  to  let  her  go  into  the  two  farther- 
most bedrooms. 

So  when  he  was  well  off  in  the  wood,  the  boy  went 
and  said  she  might  come  out  now. 

"You  were  lucky,  that  you  were,"  he  said,  "in 
coming  so  soon,  else  he  would  have  killed  you  like  all 
the  others." 


The  Sweetheart  in  the  Wood        251 

She  did  not  stay  there  long,  you  may  fancy,  but 
hurried  back  home  as  quick  as  ever  she  could;  and 
when  her  father  asked  her  why  she  had  come  so  soon, 
she  told  him  what  sort  of  a  man  her  sweetheart  was, 
and  all  that  she  had  heard  and  seen. 

A  short  time  after  her  lover  came  passing  by  that 
way,  and  he  looked  so  grand  that  his  raiment  shone 
again,  and  he  came  to  ask,  he  said,  why  she  had  never 
paid  him  that  visit,  as  she  had  promised. 

"  Oh ! "  said  her  father,  "  there  came  a  man  in  the 
way  with  a  sledge  and  scattered  the  peas,  and  she 
couldn't  find  her  way;  but  now  you  must  just  put  up 
with  our  poor  house,  and  stay  the  night ;  for  you  must 
know  we  have  guests  coming,  and  it  will  be  just  a 
betrothal  feast." 

So  when  they  had  all  eaten  and  drunk,  and  still  sat 
round  the  table,  the  daughter  of  the  house  said  she 
had  dreamt  such  a  strange  dream  a  few  nights  before. 
If  they  cared  to  hear  it  she  would  tell  it  them,  but  they 
must  all  promise  to  sit  quite  still  till  she  came  to  the  end. 

Yes ;  they  were  all  ready  to  hear,  and  they  all  pro- 
mised to  sit  still,  and  her  sweetheart  as  well. 

"  I  dreamt  I  was  walking  along  a  broad  path,  and  it 
was  strewn  with  peas." 

"Yes,  yes,"  said  her  sweetheart,  "just  as  it  will 
be  when  you  go  to  my  house,  my  love." 

"Then  the  path  got  narrower  and  narrower,  and  it 
went  far,  far  away  through  wood  and  waste." 

"Just  like  the  way  to  my  house,  my  love,"  said  her 
sweetheart. 

"And  so  I  came  to  a  green  field,  in  which  stood  a 
big  grand  house." 


252  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"Just  like  my  house,  my  love,"  said  her  sweetheart. 

"So  I  went  into  the  kitchen,  but  I  saw  no  living 
soul,  and  from  the  roof  hung  a  strange  bird  in  a  cage, 
and  as  I  passed  on  into  the  parlour  it  called  after  me, 
4  Pretty  maiden  !  be  bold,  but  not  too  bold.' " 

"Just  like  my  house  that  too,  my  love,"  said  her 
sweetheart. 

"So  I  passed  on  into  a  bedroom,  and  the  bird 
bawled  after  me  the  same  words,  and  in  there  were 
so  many  chests  of  drawers,  and  when  I  pulled  the 
drawers  out  and  looked  into  them,  they  were  filled 
with  gold  and  silver  stuffs,  and  everything  that  was 
grand." 

"  That  is  just  like  it  is  at  my  house,  my  love,"  said 
her  sweetheart.  "  I,  too,  have  many  drawers  full  of 
gold  and  silver  and  costly  things." 

"  So  I  went  on  into  another  bedroom,  and  the  bird 
screeched  out  to  me  the  very  same  words ;  and  that 
room  was  all  hung  round  on  the  wall  with  fine  dresses 
of  women." 

"Yes;  that,  too,  is  just  as  it  is  in  my  house,"  he 
said ;  "  there  are  dresses  and  finery  there,  both  of  silk 
and  satin." 

"  Well,  when  I  passed  on  to  the  next  bedroom,  the 
bird  began  to  screech  and  scream — '  Pretty  maiden ! 
pretty  maiden  !  be  bold,  but  not  too  bold ; '  and  in  this 
room  were  casks  and  pails  all  around  the  walls,  and 
they  were  full  of  blood." 

"Fie!"  said  her  sweetheart,  "how  nasty!  It  isn't 
at  all  like  that  in  my  house,  my  love ; "  for  now  he 
began  to  grow  uneasy  and  wished  to  be  off. 

"Why,"  said  the  daughter,  "it's  only  a  dream,  you 


The  Sweetheart  in  the  Wood        253 

know,  that  I  am  telling.  Sit  still.  The  least  you  can 
do  is  to  hear  my  dream  out."     Then  she  went  on — 

"When  I  went  on  into  the  next  bedroom  the  bird 
began  to  scream  out  as  loudly  as  before  the  same 
words — '  Pretty  maiden  !  pretty  maiden  !  be  bold,  but 
not  too  bold.'  And  there  lay  many  dead  bodies  and 
skeletons  of  slain  folk." 

"No,  no,"  said  her  sweetheart,  "there's  nothing 
like  that  in  my  house,"  and  again  he  tried  to  run 
out. 

"Sit  still,  I  say,"  she  said;  "it  is  nothing  else  than 
a  dream,  and  you  may  very  well  hear  it  out.  I,  too, 
thought  it  dreadful,  and  ran  back  again,  but  I  had  not 
got  farther  than  the  next  room  where  all  these  pails  of 
blood  stood,  when  the  bird  screeched  out  that  I  must 
jump  under  the  bed  and  hide,  for  now  He  was  coming; 
and  so  he  came,  and  with  him  he  had  a  girl  who  was 
so  lovely,  I  thought  I  had  never  seen  her  like  before. 
She  prayed  and  begged  so  prettily  that  he  would  spare 
her  life.  But  he  did  not  care  a  pin  for  all  her  tears 
and  prayers ;  he  tore  off  her  clothes,  and  took  all  she 
had,  and  he  neither  spared  her  life  nor  aught  else; 
but  on  her  left  hand  she  had  a  ring,  which  he  could 
not  tear  off,  so  he  hacked  off  her  finger,  and  it  rolled 
away  under  the  bed  to  me." 

"  Indeed,  my  love,"  said  her  sweetheart,  "  there's 
nothing  like  that  in  my  house." 

"  Yes,  it  was  in  your  house,"  she  said,  "  and  here 
is  the  finger  and  the  ring,  and  you  are  the  man  who 
hacked  it  off.'-' 

So  they  laid  hands  on  him,  and  put  him  to  death, 
and  burnt  both  his  body  and  his  house  in  the  wood. 


How  they  got  Hairlock  Home 


'  NCE  on  a  time  there  was 
a  goody  who  had  three 
sons.  The  first  was  called 
Peter,  the  second  Paul,  and 
the  third  Osborn  Boots. 
One  single  nanny-goat  she 
had  who  was  called  Hair- 
lock,  and  she  never  would 
come  home  in  time  for  tea. 
Peter  and  Paul  both  went 
out  to  get  her  home,  but  they  found  no  nanny-goat; 
so  Boots  had  to  set  off,  and  when  he  had  walked  a 
while  he  saw  Hairlock  high,  high  upon  a  crag. 

"Dear  Hairlock,  pretty  Hairlock,"  he  cried,  "you 
can't  stand  any  longer  on  yon  crag,  for  you  must  come 
home  in  good  time  for  tea  to-day." 

"  No,  no,  that  I  shan't,"  said  Hairlock  ;  "  I  won't  wet 
my  socks  for  any  one ;  and  if  you  want  me,  you  must 
carry  me." 

But  Osborn  Boots  would  not  do  that,  so  he  went 
and  told  his  mother. 

"Well,"  said  his  mother,  "go  to  the  fox  and  beg 
him  to  bite  Hairlock." 

So  the  lad  went  to  the  fox. 

2b4 


How  they  got  Hair  lock  Home        255 

"  My  dear  fox !  bite  Hairlock,  for  Hairlock  won't 
come  home  in  good  time  for  tea  to-day." 

"  No,"  said  the  fox,  "  I  won't  blunt  my  snout  on 
pig's  bristles  and  goat's  beards." 

So  the  lad  went  and  told  his  mother. 

"Well,  then,"  she  said,  "go  to  Greylegs,  the  wolf." 

So  the  lad  said  to  Greylegs — 

"  Dear  Greylegs  !  do,  Greylegs,  tear  the  fox,  for  the 
fox  won't  bite  Hairlock,  and  Hairlock  won't  come  home 
in  good  time  for  tea  to-day." 

"  No,"  said  Greylegs,  "  I  won't  wear  out  my  paws 
and  teeth  on  a  dry  fox's  carcass." 

So  the  lad  went  and  told  his  mother. 

"Well,  then,  go  to  the  bear,"  said  his  mother,  "and 
beg  him  to  slay  Greylegs." 

So  the  lad  said  to  the  bear — 

"My  dear  bear!  do,  bear,  slay  Greylegs,  for  Grey- 
legs won't  tear  the  fox,  and  the  fox  won't  bite  Hairlock, 
and  Hairlock  won't  come  home  in  good  time  for  tea 
to-day." 

"No,  I  won't,"  said  the  bear;  "1  won't  blunt  my 
claws  in  that  work,  that  I  won't." 

So  the  lad  told  his  mother. 

"Well,  then,"  she  said,  "go  to  the  Finn  and  beg 
him  to  shoot  the  bear." 

So  the  lad  said  to  the  Finn — 

"  Dear  Finn  !  do,  Finn,  shoot  the  bear,  for  the  bear 
won't  slay  Greylegs,  Greylegs  won't  tear  the  fox, 
the  fox  won't  bite  Hairlock,  and  Hairlock  won't  come 
home  in  good  time  for  tea  to-day." 

"No,  thrt  I  won't,"  said  the  Finn;  "I'm  not  going 
to  shoot  away  my  bullets  for  that." 


256  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

So  the  lad  told  his  mother. 

"Well,  then,"  she  said,  "go  to  the  fir,  and  beg  him 
to  fall  on  the  Finn." 

So  the  lad  said  to  the  fir — 

"  My  dear  fir !  do,  fir,  fall  on  the  Finn,  for  the  Finn 
won't  shoot  the  bear,  the  bear  won't  slay  the  wolf,  the 
wolf  won't  tear  the  fox,  the  fox  won't  bite  H airlock, 
and  Hairlock  won't  come  home  in  good  time  for  tea 
to-day." 

"No,  that  I  won't,"  said  the  fir;  "I'm  not  going  to 
break  off  my  boughs  for  that." 

So  the  lad  told  his  mother. 

"Well,  then,"  said  she,  "go  to  the  fire  and  beg  it  to 
burn  the  fir." 

So  the  lad  said  to  the  fire — 

"  My  dear  fire  !  do,  fire,  burn  the  fir,  for  the  fir  won't 
fall  on  the  Finn,  the  Finn  won't  shoot  the  bear,  the  bear 
won't  slay  the  wolf,  the  wolf  won't  tear  the  fox,  the 
fox  won't  bite  Hairlock,  and  Hairlock  won't  come  home 
in  good  time  for  tea  to-day." 

"  No,  that  I  won't,"  said  the  fire ;  "  I'm  not  going 
to  burn  myself  out  for  that,  that  I  won't." 

So  the  lad  told  his  mother. 

"Well,  then,"  she  said,  "go  to  the  water  and  beg  it 
to  quench  the  fire." 

So  the  lad  said  to  the  water — 

"  My  dear  water  !  do,  water,  quench  the  fire,  for  the 
fire  won't  burn  the  fir,  the  fir  won't  fall  on  the  Finn, 
the  Finn  won't  shoot  the  bear,  the  bear  won't  slay 
the  wolf,  the  wolf  won't  tear  the  fox,  the  fox  won't 
bite  Hairlock,  and  Hairlock  won't  come  home  in  good 
time  for  tea  to-day." 


How  they  got  Hair  lock  Home       257 

"No,  I  won't/'  said  the  water;  "I'm  not  going  to 
run  to  waste  for  that,  be  sure." 

So  the  lad  told  his  mother. 

"Well,  then,"  she  said,  "go  to  the  ox,  and  beg  him 
to  drink  up  the  water." 

So  the  lad  said  to  the  ox — 

"  My  dear  ox !  do,  ox,  drink  up  the  water,  for  the 
water  won't  quench  the  fire,  the  fire  won't  burn  the 
fir,  the  fir  won't  fall  on  the  Finn,  the  Finn  won't  shoot 
the  bear,  the  bear  won't  slay  the  wolf,  the  wolf  won't 
tear  the  fox,  the  fox  won't  bite  Hairlock,  and  Hairlock 
won't  come  home  in  good  time  for  tea  to-day." 

"  No,  I  won't,"  said  the  ox  ;  "  I'm  not  going  to  burst 
asunder  in  doing  that,  1  trow." 

So  the  lad  told  his  mother. 

"Well,  then,"  said  she,  "you  must  go  to  the  yoke, 
and  beg  him  to  pinch  the  ox." 

So  the  lad  said  to  the  yoke — 

"  My  dear  yoke !  do,  yoke,  pinch  the  ox,  for  the  ox 
won't  drink  up  the  water,  the  water  won't  quench  the 
fire,  the  fire  won't  burn  the  fir,  the  fir  won't  fall  on  the 
Finn,  the  Finn  won't  shoot  the  bear,  the  bear  won't 
slay  the  wolf,  the  wolf  won't  tear  the  fox,  the  fox 
won't  bite  Hairlock,  and  Hairlock  won't  come  home  in 
good  time  for  tea  to-day." 

"  No,  that  I  won't,"  said  the  yoke ;  "  I'm  not  going 
to  break  myself  in  two  in  doing  that." 

So  the  lad  told  his  mother. 

"Well,  then,"  she  said,  "you  must  go  to  the  axe, 
and  beg  him  to  chop  the  yoke." 

So  the  lad  said  to  the  axe — ■ 

"  My  dear  axe !  do,  axe,  chop  the  yoke,  for  the  yoke 


258 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


won't  pinch  the  ox,  the  ox  won't  drink  up  the  water, 
the  water  won't  quench  the  fire,  the  fire  won't  burn 
the  fir,  the  fir  won't  fall  on  the  Finn,  the  Finn  won't 
shoot  the  bear,  the  bear  won't  slay  the  wolf,  the  wolf 
won't  tear  the  fox,  the  fox  won't  bite  H airlock,  and 

Hairlock  won't  come  home 
in  good  time  for  tea  to-day." 
"No,  that  I  won't,"  said 
the  axe;  "I'm  not  going  to 
spoil  my  edge  for  that,  that 
I  won't." 

So  the  lad  told  his  mother. 
"Well,  then,"  she  said,  "go 
to  the  smith,  and  beg  him  to 
hammer  the  axe." 

So    the   lad    said    to    the 
smith — 

"My  dear  smith!  do,  smith, 
hammer  the  axe,  for  the  axe 
won't    chop    the    yoke,    the 
jui  HTV^  yoke  won't  pinch  the  ox,  the 

Q^JP         A  '^^Cj  ox  won't  drink  up  the  water, 

the  water  won't  quench  the 
fire,  the  fire  won't  burn  the  fir,  the  fir  won't  fall  on 
the  Finn,  the  Finn  won't  shoot  the  bear,  the  bear 
won't  slay  the  wolf,  the  wolf  won't  tear  the  fox,  the 
fox  won't  bite  Hairlock,  and  Hairlock  won't  come 
home  in  good  time  for  tea  to-day." 

"No,  I  won't,"  said  the  smith;  "I'm  not  going  to 
burn  up  my  coal  and  wear  out  nry  sledge-hammer  for 
that,"  he  said. 

So  the  lad  told  his  mother. 


How  they  got  Hair  lock  Home       259 

"Well,  then,"  she  said,  "you  must  go  to  the  rope, 
and  beg  it  to  hang  the  smith." 

So  the  lad  said  to  the  rope — 

"  My  dear  rope !  do,  rope,  hang  the  smith,  for  the 
smith  won't  hammer  the  axe,  the  axe  won't  chop  the 
yoke,  the  yoke  won't  pinch  the  ox,  the  ox  won't  drink 
up  the  water,  the  water  won't  quench  the  fire,  the  fire 
won't  burn  the  fir,  the  fir  won't  fall  on  the  Finn,  the 
Finn  won't  shoot  the  bear,  the  bear  won't  slay  the  wolf, 
the  wolf  won't  tear  the  fox,  the  fox  won't  bite  Hairlock, 
and  Hairlock  won't  come  home  in  good  time  for  tea 
to-day." 

"  No,"  said  the  rope,  "  that  I  won't ;  I'm  not  going 
to  fray  myself  out  for  that." 

So  the  lad  told  his  mother. 

"  Well,  then,"  she  said,  "  you  must  go  to  the  mouse, 
and  beg  him  to  gnaw  the  rope." 

So  the  lad  said  to  the  mouse — 

"  My  dear  mouse !  do,  mouse,  gnaw  the  rope,  for 
the  rope  won't  hang  the  smith,  the  smith  won't  hammer 
the  axe,  the  axe  won't  chop  the  yoke,  the  yoke  won't 
pinch  the  ox,  the  ox  won't  drink  up  the  water,  the 
water  won't  quench  the  fire,  the  fire  won't  burn  the 
fir,  the  fir  won't  fall  on  the  Finn,  the  Finn  won't  shoot 
the  bear,  the  bear  won't  slay  the  wolf,  the  wolf  won't 
tear  the  fox,  the  fox  won't  bite  Hairlock,  and  Hairlock 
won't  come  home  in  good  time  for  tea  to-day." 

"  No,  I  won't,"  said  the  mouse ;  "  I'm  not  going  to 
wear  down  my  teeth  for  that." 

So  the  lad  told  his  mother. 

"Well,  then,"  she  said,  "you  must  go  to  the  cat,  and 
beg  her  to  catch  the  mouse." 


260  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

So  the  lad  said  to  the  cat — 

"  My  dear  cat !  do,  cat,  catch  the  mouse,  for  the 
mouse  won't  gnaw  the  rope,  the  rope  won't  hang  the 
smith,  the  smith  won't  hammer  the  axe,  the  axe  won't 
chop  the  yoke,  the  yoke  won't  pinch  the  ox,  the  ox 
won't  drink  up  the  water,  the  water  won't  quench  the 
fire,  the  fire  won't  burn  the  fir,  the  fir  won't  fall  on  the 
Finn,  the  Finn  won't  shoot  the  bear,  the  bear  won't 
slay  the  wolf,  the  wolf  won't  tear  the  fox,  the  fox 
won't  bite  Hairlock,  and  Hairlock  won't  come  home  in 
good  time  for  tea  to-day." 

"Well,"  said  the  cat,  "just  give  me  a  drop  of  milk 

for  my  kittens,  and  then "  that's  what  the  cat  said ; 

and  the  lad  said,  "  Yes,  she  should  have  it." 

So  the  cat  bit  mouse,  and  mouse  gnawed  rope,  and 
rope  hanged  smith,  and  smith  hammered  axe,  and  axe 
chopped  yoke,  and  yoke  pinched  ox,  and  ox  drank 
water,  and  water  quenched  fire,  and  fire  burnt  fir,  and 
fir  felled  Finn,  and  Finn  shot  bear,  and  bear  slew  Grey- 
legs,  and  Grey  legs  tore  fox,  and  fox  bit  Hairlock,  so 
that  she  sprang  home  and  knocked  off  one  of  her  hind- 
legs  against  the  barn  wall. 

So  there  lay  the  nanny-goat,  and  if  she's  not  dead, 
she  limps  about  on  three  legs. 

But  as  for  Osborn  Boots,  he  said  it  served  her  just 
right,  because  she  would  not  come  home  in  good  time 
for  tea  that  very  day. 


Osborn  Boots  and  Mr.  Glibtongue 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  king  who  had  many 
hundred  sheep,  and  many  hundred  goats  and 
kine,  and  many  hundred  horses  he  had  too,  and 
silver  and  gold  in  great  heaps.  But  for  all  that  he  was 
so  given  to  grief,  that  he  seldom  or  ever  saw  folk, 
much  less  said  a  word  to  them.  Such  he  had  been 
ever  since  his  youngest  daughter  was  lost ;  and  if  he  had 
never  lost  her,  it  would  still  have  been  bad  enough,  for 
there  was  a  Troll  who  was  for  ever  making  such  waste 
and  worry  there,  that  folk  could  hardly  pass  to  the 
king's  grange  in  peace.  Now  the  Troll  let  all  the 
horses  loose,  and  they  trampled  down  mead  and  corn- 
field, and  ate  up  the  crops ;  now  he  tore  the  heads  off 
the  king's  ducks  and  geese  ;  sometimes  he  killed  the 
king's  kine  in  the  byre ;  sometimes  he  drove  the  king's 
sheep  and  goats  down  the  rocks,  and  broke  their  necks  ; 
and  every  time  they  went  to  fish  in  the  mill-dam,  he  had 
hunted  all  the  fish  to  land,  and  left  them  lying  there 
dead. 

Well,  there  was  a  couple  of  old  folk  who  had  three 
sons;  the  first  was  called  Peter,  the  second  Paul,  and 
the  third  Osborn  Boots,  for  he  always  lay  and  grubbed 
about  in  the  ashes. 

They  were  hopeful  youths ;  but  Peter,  who  was  the 
261 


262  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

eldest,  was  said  to  be  the  hopefullest,  and  so  he  asked 
his  father  if  he  might  have  leave  to  go  out  into  the 
world  and  try  his  luck. 

"  Yes,  you  shall  have  it,"  said  the  old  fellow.  "  Better 
late  than  never,  my  boy." 

So  he  got  brandy  in  a  flask,  and  food  in  his  wallet, 
and  then  he  threw  his  fare  on  his  back  and  toddled 
down  the  hill.  And  when  he  had  walked  a  while,  he 
fell  upon  an  old  wife  who  lay  by  the  roadside. 

"  Ah  !  my  dear  boy,  give  me  a  morsel  of  food  to-day," 
said  the  old  wife. 

But  Peter  hardly  so  much  as  looked  on  one  side, 
and  then  he  held  his  head  straight  and  went  on  his 
way. 

"  Ay,  ay  !  "  said  the  old  wife,  "  go  along,  and  you  shall 
see  what  you  shall  see." 

So  Peter  went  far,  and  farther  than  far,  till  he  came 
at  last  to  the  king's  grange.  There  stood  the  king  in 
the  gallery,  feeding  the  cocks  and  hens. 

"  Good  evening,  and  God  bless  your  majesty,"  said 
Peter. 

"  Chick-a-biddy !  chick-a-biddy  !  "  said  the  king,  and 
scattered  corn  both  east  and  west,  and  took  no  heed 
of  Peter. 

"  Well,"  said  Peter  to  himself,  "  you  may  just  stand 
there  and  scatter  corn  and  cackle  chicken-tongue  till 
you  turn  into  a  bear;  "  and  so  he  went  into  the  kitchen, 
and  sat  down  on  the  bench  as  though  he  were  a  great 
man. 

"  What  sort  of  a  stripling  are  you  ?  "  said  the  cook, 
for  Peter  had  not  yet  got  his  beard.  That  he  thought 
jibes  and  mocking,  and  so  he  fell  to  beating  and  banging 


O shorn  Boots  and  Mr.   Glibtongue    263 

the  kitchen-maid  !  But  while  he  was  hard  at  it,  in  came 
the  king,  and  made  them  cut  three  red  stripes  out  of 
his  back  ;  and  then  they  rubbed  salt  into  the  wound, 
and  sent  him  home  again  the  same  way  he  came. 

Now  as  soon  as  Peter  was  well  home,  Paul  must  set 
off  in  his  turn.  Well,  well !  he  too  got  brandy  in  his 
flask,  and  food  in  his  wallet,  and  he  threw  his  fare  on 
his  back  and  toddled  down  the  hill.  When  he  had  got 
on  his  way,  he  too  met  the  old  wife,  who  begged  for 
food  ;  but  he  strode  past  her  and  made  no  answer ;  and  at 
the  king's  grange  he  did  not  fare  a  pin  better  than  Peter. 
The  king  called  "  chick-a-biddy  !  "  and  the  kitchen-maid 
called  him  a  clumsy  boy ;  and  when  he  was  going  to 
bang  and  beat  her  for  that,  in  came  the  king  with  a 
butcher's  knife,  and  cut  three  red  stripes  out  of  him, 
and  rubbed  hot  embers  in,  and  sent  him  home  again 
with  a  sore  back. 

Then  Boots  crept  out  the  cinders  and  fell  to  shaking 
himself.  The  first  day  he  shook  all  the  ashes  off  him, 
the  second  he  washed  and  combed  himself,  and  the 
third  he  dressed  himself  in  his  Sunday  best. 

"  Nay,  nay  !  just  look  at  him,"  said  Peter.  "  Now 
we  have  got  a  new  sun  shining  here.  I'll  be  bound  you 
are  off  to  the  king's  grange  to  win  his  daughter  and  half 
the  kingdom.  Far  better  bide  in  the  dusthole  and  lie 
in  the  ashes,  that  you  had." 

But  Boots  was  deaf  in  that  ear,  and  he  went  in  to 
his  father,  and  asked  leave  to  go  out  a  little  into  the 
world. 

"  What  are  you  to  do  out  in  the  world  ?  "  said  the 
greybeard.  "  It  did  not  fare  so  well  either  with  Peter 
or  Paul,  and  what  do  you  think  will  become  of  you  ?  " 


264 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


But  Boots  would  not  give  way,  and  so  at  last  he  had 
leave  to  go. 

His  brothers  were  not  for  letting  him  have  a  morsel 
of  food  with  him ;  but  his  mother  gave  him  a  cheese 
rind  and  a  bone  with  very  little  meat  on  it,  and  with 
them  he  toddled  away  from  the  cottage.  As  he  went 
he  took  his  time.  "You'll  be  there  soon  enough/'  he 
said  to  himself.  "  You  have  all  the  day  before  you, 
and  afterwards   the  moon  will  rise,  if  you  have  any 

luck."  So  he  put 
his  best  foot  fore- 
most, and  puffed 
up  the  hills,  and  all 
the  while  looked 
about  him  on  the 
road. 

After  a  long,  long 
way  he  met  the 
old  wife,  who  lay 
by  the  roadside. 

"The   poor   old 
cripple,"said  Boots; 
"  I'll  be  bound  you 
are  starving." 
"Yes,  she  was,"  said  the  old  wife. 
"Are    you?    then    I'll    go    shares   with    you/'    said 
Osborn  Boots,  and  as  he  said  that  he  gave  her  the 
rind  of  cheese. 

"You're  freezing,  too,"  he  said,  as  he  saw  how  her 
teeth  chattered.  "  You  must  take  this  old  jacket  of  mine. 
It's  not  good  in  the  arms,  and  thin  in  the  back,  but 
once  on  a  time,  when  it  was  new,  it  was  a  good  wrap." 


O  shorn  Boots  and  Mr.    Glib  tongue    265 

"  Bide  a  bit,"  said  the  old  wife,  as  she  fumbled  down 
in  her  big  pocket.  "  Here  you  have  an  old  key — I  have 
nothing  better  or  worse  to  give  you — but  when  you  look 
through  the  ring  at  the  top,  you  can  see  whatever  you 
choose  to  see." 

So  when  he  got  to  the  king's  grange,  the  cook  was 
hard  at  work  drawing  water,  and  that  was  great  toil 
to  her. 

"  It's  too  heavy  for  you,"  said  Boots,  "  but  it's  just 
what  I  am  fit  to  do." 

The  one  that  was  glad  then,  you  may  fancy,  was  the 
kitchen-maid,  and  from  that  day  she  always  let  Boots 
scrape  the  porridge-pot ;  but  it  was  not  long  before  he 
got  so  many  enemies  by  that,  that  they  told  lies  of  him 
to  the  king,  and  said  he  had  told  them  he  was  man 
enough  to  do  this  and  that. 

So  one  day  the  king  came  and  asked  Boots  if  it  were 
true  that  he  was  man  enough  to  keep  the  fish  in  the 
mill-dam,  so  that  the  Troll  could  not  harm  them,  "  For 
that's  what  they  tell  me  you  have  said,"  spoke  the 
king. 

"  I  have  not  said  so,"  said  Boots  ;  "  but  if  I  had  said 
it,  I  would  have  been  as  good  as  my  word." 

Well,  however  it  was,  whether  he  had  said  it  or  not, 
he  must  try,  if  he  wished  to  keep  a  whole  skin  on  his 
back  ;  that  was  what  the  king  said. 

"  Well,  if  he  must,  he  must,"  said  Boots,  for  he  said 
he  had  no  need  to  go  about  with  red  stripes  under  his 
jacket. 

In  the  evening  Boots  peeped  through  his  key-ring, 
and  then  he  saw  that  the  Troll  was  afraid  of  thyme. 
So  he  fell  to  plucking  all  the  thyme  he  could  find,  and 


266 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


some  of  it  he  strewed  in  the  water,  and  some  on  land, 

and  the  rest  he  spread  over  the  brink  of  the  dam. 
So  the  Troll  had  to  leave  the  fish  in  peace ;  but  now 

the  sheep  had  to  pay  for  it,  for  the  Troll  was  chasing 
them  over  all  the  cliffs  and 
crags  the  whole  night. 

Then  one  of  the  other  ser- 
vants came  and  said  again 
that  Boots  knew  a  cure  for 
the  stock  as  well,  if  he  only 
chose,  for  that  he  had  said 
he  was  man  enough  to  do  it 
was  the  very  truth. 

Well,  the  king  went  out  to 
him,  and  spoke  to  him  as  he 
had  spoken  the  first  time,  and 
threatened  that  he  would  cut 
three  broad  stripes  out  of  his 
back  if  he  did  not  do  what  he 
had  said. 

So  there  was  no  help  for  it. 
Boots  thought,  I  dare  say,  it 
would  be  very  fine  to  go  about 
in  the  king's  livery  and  a 
red  jacket,  but  he  thought  he 
would  rather  be  without  it, 
if  he  himself  had  to  find  the 

cloth  for  it  out  cf  the  skin  of  his  back.      That  was 

what  he  thought  and  said. 

So  he  betook  himself  to  his  thyme  again ;  but  there 

was   no   end   to  his   work,   for  as  soon  as  he  bound 

thyme  on  the  sheep  they  ate  it  off  one  another's  backs, 


0 shorn  Boots  and  Mr,   Glibtongue    267 

and  as  he  went  on  binding  they  went  on  eating,  and 
they  ate  faster  than  he  could  bind.  But  at  last  he 
made  an  ointment  of  thyme  and  tar,  and  rubbed  it 
well  into  them,  and  then  they  left  off  eating  it.  Then 
the  kine  and  the  horses  got  the  same  ointment,  and 
so  they  had  peace  from  the  Troll. 

But  one  day  when  the  king  was  out  hunting  he  trod 
upon  wild  grass  and  got  bewildered,  and  lost  his  way 


in  the  wood ;  so  he  rode  round  and  round  for  many 
days,  and  had  nothing  either  to  eat  or  drink,  and  his 
clothing  fared  so  ill  in  the  thorns  and  thickets,  that  at 
last  he  had  scarce  a  rag  to  his  back.  So  the  Troll 
came  to  him  and  said  if  he  might  have  the  first  thing 
the  king  set  eyes  on  when  he  got  on  his  own  land,  he 
would  let  him  go  home  to  his  grange.  Yes,  he  should 
have  that,  for  the  king  thought  it  would  be  sure  to  be 
his  little  dog,  which  always  came  frisking  and  fawning 
to  meet  him.    But  just  as  he  got  near  his  grange  so  that 


268 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


they  could  see  him,  out  came  his  eldest  daughter  at 

the  head  of  all  the   court    to   meet  the  king,  and  to 

welcome  him  back  safe  and  sound. 

So  when  he  saw  that  she  was  the  first  to  meet  him, 

he  was  so  cut  to  the  heart,  he  fell  to  the  ground  on 

the  spot,  and  since 
that  time  had  been 
almost  half-witted. 

One  evening  the 
Troll  was  to  come  and 
fetch  the  princess,  and 
she  was  dressed  out 
in  her  best,  and  sat 
in  a  field  out  by  the 
tarn,  and  wept  and 
bewailed.     There  was 


a  man  called  Glibtongue,  who  was  to  go  with  her,  but 
he  was  so  afraid  he  clomb  up  into  a  tall  spruce  fir, 
and  there  he  stuck.  Just  then  up  came  Boots,  and 
sat  down  on  the  ground  by  the  side  of  the  princess. 
And  she  was  so  glad,  as  you  may  fancy,  when  she 
saw  there  were  still  Christian  folk  who  dared  to  stay 
by  her  after  all. 

"Lay  your  head  on  my  lap,"  she  said,  "and  I'll 
comb  your  hair ; "  so  Osborn  Boots  did  as  she  bade 
him ;  and  while  she  combed  his  hair  he  fell  asleep,  and 
she  took  a  gold  ring  off  her  finger  and  knitted  it  into 


O shorn  Boots  and  Mr.   Glibtongue    269 

his  hair.  Just  then  up  came  the  Troll,  puffing  and 
blowing.  He  was  so  heavy-footed  that  all  the  wood 
groaned  and  cracked  a  whole  mile  round. 

And  when  the  Troll  saw  Glibtongue  sitting  up  in  the 
tree-top  like  a  little  blackcock,  he  spat  at  him. 

"  Pish  ! "  he  said,  that  was  all,  and  down  toppled 
Glibtongue  and  the  spruce  fir  to  the  ground,  and  there 
he  lay  sprawling  like  a  fish  out  of  water. 

"  Hu  !  hu  !  "  said  the  Troll ;  "  are  you  sitting  here 
combing  Christian  folk's  hair  ?  Now  I'll  gobble  you 
up." 

"Stuff!"  said  Boots,  as  soon  as  he  woke  up,  and 
then  he  fell  to  peering  at  the  Troll  through  the  ring 
on  his  key. 

"  Hu  !  hu  !  "  said  the  Troll ;  "  what  are  you  staring 
at?     Hu!  hu!" 

And  as  he  said  that  he  hurled  his  iron  club  at  him, 
so  that  it  stood  fifteen  ells  deep  in  the  rock ;  but  Boots 
was  so  quick  and  ready  on  his  feet,  that  he  got  on  one 
side  of  the  club  just  as  the  Troll  hurled  it. 

"  Stuff,  for  such  old  wives'  tricks,"  said  Boots  ;  "  out 
with  your  toothpick,  and  you  shall  see  something  like 
a  throw." 

Yes,  the  Troll  plucked  out  the  club  at  one  pull, 
and  it  was  as  big  as  three  weaver's  beams.  Mean- 
while Boots  stared  up  at  the  sky,  both  south  and 
north. 

"Hu!  hu ! "  said  the  Troll;  "what  are  you  gazing 
at  now  ?  " 

"  I'm  looking  out  for  a  star  at  which  to  throw,"  said 
Boots.  "  Do  you  see  that  tiny  little  one  due  north  ? 
That's  the  one  I  choose." 


270  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"Nay,  nay/'  said  the  Troll,  "let  it  bide  as  it  is. 
You  mustn't  throw  away  my  iron  club." 

"Well,  well,"  said  Boots,  "you  may  have  it  again 
then,  but  perhaps  you  wouldn't  mind  if  I  tossed  you 
up  to  the  moon  just  for  once." 

No,  the  Troll  would  have  nothing  to  say  to  that 
either. 

"Oh,  but  blindman's  buff,"  said  Boots;  "haven't 
you  a  mind  to  play  blindman's  buff?" 

Yes,  that  would  be  fine  fun,  the  Troll  thought ;  "  but 
you  shall  be  blindfold  first,"  said  the  Troll  to  Boots. 

"  Oh  yes,  with  all  my  heart,"  said  the  lad ;  "  but  the 
fairest  way  is  that  we  draw  lots,  and  then  we  shan't 
have  anything  to  quarrel  about." 

Yes,  yes,  that  was  best,  and  then  you  may  fancy 
Boots  took  care  the  Troll  should  be  the  first  to  have  the 
handkerchief  over  his  eyes,  and  was  the  first  "  buff." 

But  that  just  was  a  game.  My !  how  they  went 
in  and  out  of  the  wood,  and  how  the  Troll  ran  and 
stumbled  over  the  stumps,  so  that  the  dust  flew  and 
the  wood  rang. 

"  Haw  !  haw  !  "  bawled  the  Troll  at  last,  "  the  de'il 
take  me  if  I'll  be  buff  any  longer,"  for  he  was  in  a 
great  rage. 

"Bide  a  bit,"  said  Boots,  "and  I'll  stand  still  and 
call  till  you  come  and  catch  me." 

Meanwhile  he  took  a  hemp-comb  and  ran  round  to 
the  other  side  of  the  tarn,  which  was  so  deep  it  had 
no  bottom. 

"  Now  come;  here  I  stand,"  bawled  out  Boots. 

"  I  dare  say  there  are  logs  and  stumps  in  the  way," 
said  the  Troll. 


O  shorn  Boots  and  Mr,    Glib  tongue    271 

"  Your  ears  can  tell  you  there  is  no  wood  here,"  said 
Boots,  and  then  he  swore  to  him  there  were  no  stumps 
or  stocks. 

"  Now  come  along." 

So  the  Troll  set  off  again,  but  "  squash  "  he  went,  and 
there  lay  the  Troll  in  the  tarn,  and  Boots  hacked  at  his 
eyes  with  the  hemp-comb  every  time  he  got  his  head 
above  water. 

Now  the  Troll  begged  so  prettily  for  his  life,  that 
Boots  thought  it  was  a  shame  to  take  it ;  but  first  he 
had  to  give  up  the  princess,  and  to  bring  back  the 
other  whom  he  had  stolen  before.  And  besides,  he 
had  to  promise  that  folk  and  flock  should  have  peace, 
and  then  he  let  the  Troll  out,  and  he  took  himself  off 
home  to  his  hill. 

But  now  Glibtongue  became  a  man  again,  and  came 
down  out  of  the  tree-top,  and  carried  off  the  princess 
to  the  grange,  as  though  he  had  set  her  free.  And 
then  he  stole  down  and  gave  his  arm  to  the  other  also, 
when  Boots  had  brought  her  as  far  as  the  garden. 
And  now  there  was  such  joy  in  the  king's  grange, 
that  it  was  heard  and  talked  of  over  land  and  realm,  and 
Glibtongue  was  to  be  married  to  the  youngest  daughter. 

Well,  it  was  all  good  and  right,  but  after  all  it  was 
not  so  well ;  for  just  as  they  were  to  have  the  feast, 
if  that  old  Troll  had  not  gone  down  under  earth  and 
stopped  all  the  springs  of  water. 

"  If  I  can't  do  them  any  other  harm,"  he  said,  "they 
shan't  have  water  to  boil  their  bridal  brose." 

So  there  was  no  help  for  it  but  to  send  for  Boots 
again.  Then  he  got  him  an  iron  bar,  which  was  to 
be   fifteen  ells  long,  and  six  smiths  were  to  make  it 


272 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


red-hot.  Then  he  peeped  through  his  key-ring,  and 
saw  where  the  Troll  was  just  as  well  underground  as 
above  it,  and  then  he  drove  the  bar  down  through  the 
ground,  and  into  the  Troll's  back-bone ;  and  all  I  can 

say  is,  there  was  a 
smell  of  burnt  horn 
fifteen  miles  around. 
"Haw!  haw!" 
bellowed  out  the 
Troll,  "  let  me  out," 
and  in  a  trice  he 
came  tearing  up 
through  the  hole, 
and  all  his  back  was 
burnt  and  singed  up 
to  the  nape  of  his 
neck. 

But  Boots  was  not 
slow,  for  he  caught 
the  Troll  and  laid 
him  on  a  stake  that 
had  thyme  twisted 
round  it,  and  there 
he  had  to  lie  till  he 
told  him  where  he  had  got  eyes  from  after  those  had 
been  hacked  out  with  the  hemp-comb. 

"  If  you  must  know,"  said  the  Troll,  "  I  stole  a 
turnip,  and  rubbed  it  well  over  with  ointment,  and 
then  I  cut  it  to  the  sizes  I  needed,  and  nailed  them  in 
tight  with  tenpenny  nails,  and  better  eyes  I  hope  no 
Christian  man  will  ever  have." 

Then  the  king  came  with  the  two  princesses,  and 


r^' 


0 shorn  Boots  and  Mr.   Glibtongue    273 

wanted  to  see  the  Troll,  and  Glibtongue  walked  so 
bent  and  bowed,  his  coat-tails  were  higher  than  his 
neck.  But  then  the  king  caught  sight  of  something 
glistening  in  the  hair  of  Boots. 

"What  have  you  got  there  ?  "  he  said. 

"Oh, "said  Boots,  "nothing  but  the  ring  your  daugh- 
ter gave  me  when  I  freed  her  from  the  Troll." 

And  now  it  came  out  how  it  had  all  happened. 
Glibtongue  begged  and  prayed  for  himself;  but  for  all 
his  trying  and  all  his  crying,  there  was  no  help  for 
it;  down  he  had  to  go  into  a  pit  full  of  snakes,  and 
there  he  lay  till  he  burst. 

Then  they  put  an  end  to  the  Troll ;  and  then  they 
began  to  be  noisy  and  merry,  and  to  drink  and  dance 
at  the  bridal  of  Boots,  for  now  he  was  king  of  that 
company,  and  he  got  the  youngest  princess  and  half 
the  kingdom. 

And  here  I  lay  my  tale  upon  a  sledge, 

And  send  it  thee  whose  tongue  hath  sharper  edge  : 

But  if  thy  tongue  in  wit  is  not  so  fine, 

Then  shame  on  thee  that  throwest  blame  on  mine. 


This  is  the  Lad  who  sold  the   Pig 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  widow  who  had  a 
son,  and  he  had  set  his  heart  on  being  nothing 
else  than  a  tradesman.  But  you  must  know 
they  were  so  poor,  that  they  had  nothing  that  he  could 
begin  his  trading  with.  The  only  thing  his  mother 
owned  in  the  world  was  a  sow  pig,  and  he  begged  and 
prayed  so  long  and  so  prettily  for  it,  that  at  last  she 
was  forced  to  let  him  have  it. 

When  he  had  got  it,  he  was  to  set  off  to  sell  it,  that 
he  might  have  some  money  to  begin  his  trading.  So 
he  offered  it  to  this  man  and  that,  good  and  bad  alike ; 
but  there  was  no  one  who  just  then  cared  to  buy  a  pig. 
At  last  he  came  to  a  rich  old  hunks ;  but  you  know 
much  will  always  have  more,  and  that  man  was  one  of 
the  sort  that  never  can  have  enough. 

"Will  you  buy  a  pig  to-day?"  said  the  lad;  "a 
good  pig,  and  a  long  pig,  and  a  fine  fat  pig."  That 
was  what  he  said. 

The  old  hunks  asked  what  he  would  have  for  it.  It 
was  at  least  worth  six  dollars,  even  between  brothers, 
said  the  lad  ;  but  the  times  were  so  hard,  and  money 
so  scarce,  he  didn't  mind  selling  it  for  four  dollars ; 
and  that  was  as  good  as  giving  it  away. 


The  Lad  who  sold  the  Pig  275 

No,  that  the  old  hunks  would  not  do — he  wouldn't 
give  so  much  as  a  dollar  even ;  he  had  more  pigs 
already  than  he  wanted,  and  was  well  off  for  pigs  of 
that  sort.  But  as  the  lad  was  so  eager  to  sell,  he 
would  be  willing  to  do  him  a  turn  and  deal  with  him ; 
but  the  most  he  could  give  for  the  whole  pig,  every 
inch  of  it,  was  fourpence.  If  he  would  take  that,  he 
might  turn  his  pig  into  the  sty  with  the  rest.  That 
was  what  the  old  hunks  said. 

The  lad  thought  it  shameful  that  he  should  not  get 
more  for  his  pig ;  but  then  he  thought  that  something 
was  better  than  nothing,  and  so  he  took  the  fourpence 
and  turned  in  the  pig.  And  then  he  fingered  the 
money,  and  went  about  his  business.  But  when  he 
got  out  into  the  road,  he  could  not  get  it  out  of  his 
head  that  he  had  been  cheated  out  of  his  pig,  and 
that  he  was  not  much  better  oft"  with  fourpence  than 
with  nothing.  The  longer  he  went  and  thought  of 
this,  the  angrier  he  got,  and  at  last  he  thought  to 
himself — 

"  If  I  could  only  play  him  a  pretty  trick,  I  wouldn't 
care  either  for  the  pig  or  the  pence." 

So  he  went  away  and  got  him  a  pair  of  stout  thongs 
and  a  cat-o'-nine-tails,  and  then  he  threw  over  him 
a  big  cloak,  and  put  on  a  billygoat's  beard;  and  so 
he  went  back  to  the  skinflint,  and  said  he  was  from 
outlandish  parts,  where  he  had  learnt  to  be  a  master- 
builder — for  you  must  know  he  had  heard  the  old 
hunks  was  going  to  build  a  house. 

Yes,  he  would  gladly  take  him  as  master-builder, 
he  said;  for  thereabouts  there  were  none  but  home- 
taught  carpenters.     So  off  they  went  to  look  at  the 


276  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

timber,  and  it  was  the  finest  heart  of  pine  that  any 
one  would  wish  to  have  in  the  wall  of  his  house ; 
and  even  the  lad  said  it  was  brave  timber — he  couldn't 
say  otherwise;  but  in  outlandish  parts  they  had  got 
a  new  fashion,  which  was  far  better  than  the  old. 
They  did  not  take  long  beams  and  fit  them  into  the 
wall,  but  they  cut  the  beams  up  into  nice  small  logs, 
and  then  they  baked  them  in  the  sun  and  fastened 
them  together  again ;  and  so  they  were  both  stronger 
and  prettier  than  an  old-fashioned  timber  building. 

"That's  how  they  build  all  the  houses  nowadays 
in  outlandish  parts,"  said  the  lad. 

"  If  it  must  be  so,  it  must,"  said  the  hunks.  With 
that  he  set  all  the  carpenters  and  woodmen  who  were 
to  be  found  round  about  to  chop  and  hew  all  his  beams 
up  into  small  logs. 

"  But,"  said  the  lad,  "  we  still  want  some  big  trees — 
some  of  the  real  mast  firs — for  our  sill-beams  ;  maybe 
there  are  no  such  big  trees  in  your  wood." 

"Well,"  said  the  man,  "if  they're  not  to  be  found 
in  my  wood,  it  will  be  hard  to  find  them  anywhere  else." 

And  so  they  strode  off  to  the  wood,  both  of  them ; 
and  a  little  way  up  the  hill  they  came  to  a  big  tree. 

"  I  should  think  that's  big  enough,"  said  the  man. 

"  No,  it  isn't  big  enough,"  said  the  lad.  "  If  you 
haven't  bigger  trees,  we  shan't  make  much  way  with 
our  building  after  the  new  fashion." 

"Yes,  I  have  bigger  ones,"  said  the  man.  "You 
shall  soon  see ;  but  we  must  go  farther  on." 

So  they  went  a  long  way  over  the  hill,  and  at  last 
they  came  to  a  big  tree,  one  of  the  finest  trees  for  a 
mast  in  all  the  wood. 


The  Lad  who  sold  the  P 


tg 


277 


"  Do  you  think  this  is  big  enough  ?  "  said  the  man. 

"I  almost  think  it  is,"  said  the  lad.  "We  will 
fathom  it,  and  then  we  shall  soon  see.  You  go  on 
the  other  side  of  the  fir,  and  I  will  stand  here.  If 
we  are  not  good  enough  to  make  our  hands  meet,  it 
will  be  big  enough ;  but  mind  you  stretch  out  well. 
Stretch  out  well,  do 
you  hear  ? "  said  the 
lad,  as  he  took  out  his 
thongs.  As  for  the  man, 
he  did  all  the  lad  told 
him. 

"Yes,"  said  the  lad, 
"  we  shall  meet  nicely, 
I  can  see.  But  stop 
a  bit,  and  I'll  stretch 
your  hands  better,"  he 
said,  as  he  slipped  a 
running  knot  over  his 
wrists  and  drew  it  tight, 
and  bound  him  fast  to 
the  tree ;  then  out  came 
the  cat  -  o' -  nine -tails, 

and  he  fell  to  flogging  the  old  hunks   as   fast  as  he 
could,  and  all  the  while  he  cried  out — 

"This  is  the  lad  who  sold  the  pig!  and  this  is  the 
lad  who  sold  the  pig !  " 

Nor  did  he  leave  off  till  he  thought  the  old  hunks 
had  enough,  and  that  he  had  got  his  rights  for  the 
pig ;  and  then  he  loosed  him,  and  left  him  lying  under 
the  tree. 

Now,  when  the  man  did  not  come  home,  they  made 


278 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


a  hue  and  cry  for  him  over  the  neighbourhood,  and 
searched  the  country  round ;  and  at  last  they  found 
him  under  the  fir-tree,  more  dead  than  alive. 

So  when  they  had  got  him  home,  the  lad  came,  and 

had  dressed  himself  up  as  a  doctor,  and  said  he  had 

come  from  foreign  parts,  and  knew  a  cure  for  all  kinds 

of  hurt.     And  when  the  man  heard 

y^\  that,  he  was  all  for  having  him  to 

\Vj  doctor  him,  and    the   lad    said    he 

k&'"'  would  not  be  long  in  curing  him; 

but    he    must    have  him   all  alone 

in  a  room  by  himself,  and  no  one 

must  be  by. 

"  If  you  hear  him  screech  and 
cry  out,"  he  said,  "you  must  not 
mind  it ;  for  the  more  he  screeches, 
the  sooner  he  will  be  well  again." 

So  when  they  were  alone,  he 
said — 

"  First  of  all  I  must  bleed  you." 
And  so  he  threw  the  man  roughly 
down  on  a  bench,  and  bound  him 
fast  with  the  thongs  ;  and  then  out  came  the  cat-o'-nine- 
tails, and  he  fell  to  flogging  him  as  fast  as  he  could. 
The  man  screeched  and  screamed,  for  his  back  was 
sore,  and  every  lash  went  into  the  bare  flesh ;  and  the 
lad  flogged  and  flogged  as  though  there  were  no  end 
to  it,  and  all  the  while  he  bawled  out — 

"This  is  the  lad  who  sold  the  pig!  this  is  the  lad 
who  sold  the  pig !  " 

The  old   hunks   bellowed   as   though   a  knife  were 
being  stuck  into  him;  but  there  was  not  a  soul  that 


The  Lad  who  sold  the  Pig  279 

cared  about  it,  for  the  more  he  screeched  the  sooner 
he  would  be  well,  they  thought. 

So  when  the  lad  had  done  his  doctoring,  he  set  off 
from  the  farm  as  fast  as  he  could  ;  but  they  followed 
fast  on  his  heels,  and  overtook  him,  and  threw  him 
into  prison,  and  the  end  was,  he  was  doomed  to  be 
hanged. 

And  the  old  hunks  was  so  angry  with  him,  even 
then,  that  he  would  not  have  him  hanged  till  he  was 
quite  well,  so  that  he  might  hang  him  with  his  own 
hands. 

So  while  the  lad  sat  there  in  prison  waiting  to  be 
hanged,  one  of  the  serving-men  came  out  by  night  and 
stole  kail  in  the  garden  of  the  old  hunks,  and  the  lad 
saw  him. 

"  So,  so,"  said  he  to  himself,  "  master  thief,  it  will 
be  odd  if  I  don't  play  off  a  trick  or  two  with  you  before 
I  am  hanged." 

And  so  when  time  went  on,  and  the  man  was  so  well 
he  thought  he  had  strength  enough  to  hang  him,  he 
made  them  set  up  a  gallows  down  by  the  way  to  the 
mill,  so  that  he  might  see  the  body  hanging  every  time 
he  went  to  the  mill.  So  they  set  out  to  hang  the  lad ; 
and  when  they  had  gone  a  bit  of  a  way,  the  lad  said — 

"You  will  not  refuse  to  let  me  talk  alone  with  your 
servant  who  grinds  down  yonder  at  the  mill  ?  I  did 
him  a  bad  turn  once,  and  I  wish  now  to  confess  it,  and 
beg  him  for  forgiveness  before  I  die." 

Yes,  he  might  have  leave  to  do  that. 

"  Heaven  help  you ! "  he  said  to  the  miller's  man. 
"  Now  your  master  is  coming  to  hang  you  because  you 
stole  kail  in  his  garden." 


280  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

As  soon  as  the  miller's  man  heard  that,  he  was  so 
taken  aback  he  did  not  know  which  way  to  turn,  and 
so  he  asked  the  lad  what  he  should  do. 

"  Take  and  change  clothes  with  me,  and  hide  yourself 
behind  the  door,"  said  the  lad,  "  and  then  he  will  not 
know  that  it  isn't  me.  And  if  he  lays  hands  on  any 
one,  then  it  will  not  be  you,  but  me." 

It  was  some  time  before  they  had  changed  clothes 
and  dressed  again,  and  the  old  hunks  began  to  be 
afraid  lest  the  lad  should  have  run  away.  So  he 
posted  down  to  the  mill  door. 

"  Where  is  he  ?  "  he  said  to  the  lad,  who  stood  there 
as  white  as  a  miller. 

"  Oh,  he  was  here  just  now,"  said  the  lad.  "  I  think 
he  went  and  hid  himself  behind  the  door." 

"  I'll  teach  you  to  hide  behind  the  door,  you  rogue," 
said  the  old  hunks,  as  he  seized  the  man  in  a  great 
rage,  and  hurried  him  off  to  the  gallows,  and  hanged 
him  in  a  breath  ;  and  all  the  while  he  never  knew  it 
was  not  the  lad  that  he  hanged. 

After  that  was  done,  he  wanted  to  go  into  the  mill  to 
talk  to  his  man,  who  was  busy  grinding.  Meantime 
the  lad  had  wedged  up  the  upper  millstone,  and  was 
feeling  under  it  with  his  hands. 

"Come  here,  come  here,"  he  called  out  as  soon  as  he 
saw  the  old  hunks,  "and  you  shall  feel  what  a  wonder- 
ful millstone  this  is." 

So  the  man  went  and  felt  the  millstone  with  one 
hand. 

"  Nay,  nay,"  said  the  lad,  "you'll  never  feel  it  unless 
you  take  hold  of  it  with  both  hands." 

Well,  he  did  so ;  and  just  then  the  lad  snatched  out 


The  Lad  who  sold  the  Pig  281 

the  wedge  and  let  the  upper  millstone  down  on  him, 
so  that  he  was  caught  fast  by  the  hands  between  the 
stones.  Then  out  came  the  cat-o'-nine-tails  again, 
and  he  fell  to  flogging  him  as  fast  as  he  could. 

"  This  is  the  lad  who  sold  the  pig !  "  he  cried  out  till 
he  was  hoarse. 

And  when  he  had  flogged  him  as  much  as  he  could, 
he  went  home  to  his  mother;  and  as  time  went  on,  and 
he  thought  the  man  had  come  to  himself  again,  he  said 
to  her — 

"Yes,  now  I  dare  say  that  man  will  be  coming  to 
whom  I  sold  the  pig ;  and  now  1  know  no  other  trick 
to  screen  me  any  longer  from  him,  unless  I  dig  a  hole 
here  south  of  the  house,  and  there  I  will  lie  all  day; 
and  you  must  mind  and  say  to  him  just  what  I  tell 

you." 

So  the  lad  told  his  mother  all  she  was  to  say  and  do. 

Then  he  dug  such  a  hole  as  he  had  said,  and  took 
with  him  a  long  butcher's  knife,  and  lay  down  in  it ; 
and  his  mother  covered  him  over  with  boughs  and 
leaves  and  moss,  so  that  he  was  quite  hidden.  There 
he  lay  by  day ;  and  after  a  while  the  man  came  travel- 
ling along  and  asked  for  the  lad. 

"Ay,  ay!"  said  his  mother,  "he  was  a  man,  that 
he  was ;  though  he  never  got  from  me  more  than  one 
sow  pig.  For  he  became  both  a  doctor  and  a  master- 
builder,  and  he  was  hanged  after  that,  and  rose  again 
from  the  dead ;  and  yet  I  never  heard  anything  but  ill 
of  him.  Here  he  came  flying  home  the  other  day,  and 
then  he  gave  me  the  greatest  joy  I  ever  had  of  him,  for 
he  laid  him  down  and  died.  As  for  me,  I  did  not  care 
enough  for  him  to  spend  money  on  a  priest  and  Christian 


282  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

earth ;  but  I  just  buried  him  yonder,  south  of  the  house, 
and  raked  over  him  boughs  and  leaves." 

"  See  now,"  said  the  old  hunks,  "  if  he  hasn't  cheated 
me  after  all,  and  slipped  through  my  fingers.  But 
though  I  have  not  been  avenged  on  him  living,  I  will 
do  him  a  dishonour  in  his  grave." 

As  he  said  this  he  strode  away  south  to  the  grave, 
and  stooped  down  to  spit  into  it ;  but  at  that  very 
moment  the  lad  stuck  the  knife  into  him  up  to  the 
handle,  and  bawled  out — 

"  This  is  the  lad  who  sold  the  pig !  this  is  the  lad 
who  sold  the  pig !  " 

Away  flew  the  man  with  the  knife  sticking  in  him, 
and  he  was  so  scared  and  afraid,  that  nothing  has  ever 
been  heard  or  seen  of  him  since. 


The  Sheep  and  the  Pig  who 
set  up  House 


NCE  on  a  time  there  was  a 
sheep  who  stood  in  the  pen 
to  be  fattened ;    so  he  lived 
well,    and    was    stuffed    and 
crammed     with     everything 
that  was   good.     So  it 
went    on,   till   one    day 
the  dairymaid    came 
and    gave    him    still 
more  food,  and   then 
she    said — "  Eat    away, 
sheep;   you  won't  be 
much    longer  here ;  we 
are  going  to  kill  you  to-morrow." 

It  is  an  old  saying,  that  women's  counsel  is  always 
worth  having,  and  that  there  is  a  cure  and  physic  for 
everything  but  death.  "But  after  all,"  said  the  sheep 
to  himself,  "  there  may  be  a  cure  even  for  death  this 
time." 

So  he  ate  till  he  was  ready  to  burst ;  and  when  he 
was  crammed  full,  he  butted  out  the  door  of  the  pen, 

and  took  his  way  to  the  neighbouring  farm.     There  he 

283 


284  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

went  to  the  pigsty  to  a  pig  whom  he  had  known  out 
on  the  common,  and  ever  since  had  been  the  best 
friends  with. 

"Good  day,"  said  the  sheep,  "and  thanks  for  our 
last  merry  meeting." 

"Good  day,"  answered  the  pig,  "and  the  same  to 
you." 

"  Do  you  know,"  said  the  sheep,  "why  it  is  you  are 
so  well  off,  and  why  it  is  they  fatten  you,  and  take 
such  pains  with  you  ?  " 

"  No,  I  don't,"  said  the  pig. 

"  Many  a  flask  empties  the  cask ;  I  suppose  you 
know  that,"  said  the  sheep.  "  They  are  going  to  kill 
and  eat  you." 

"Are  they?"  said  the  pig;  "well,  I  hope  they'll 
say  grace  after  meat." 

"  If  you  will  do  as  I  do,"  said  the  sheep,  "we'll  go 
off  to  the  wood,  build  us  a  house,  and  set  up  for  our- 
selves.    A  home  is  a  home,  be  it  ever  so  homely." 

Yes,  the  pig  was  willing  enough.  "Good  company 
is  such  a  comfort,"  he  said,  and  so  the  two  set  off. 

So  when  they  had  gone  a  bit  they  met  a  goose. 

"  Good  day,  good  sirs,  and  thanks  for  our  last 
merry  meeting,"  said  the  goose;  "whither  away  so 
fast  to-day  ?  " 

"Good  day,  and  the  same  to  you,"  said  the  sheep; 
"you  must  know  we  were  too  well  off  at  home,  and 
so  we  are  going  to  set  up  for  ourselves  in  the  wood, 
for  you  know  every  man's  house  is  his  castle." 

"Well,"  said  the  goose,  "it's  much  the  same  with 
me  where  I  am.  Can't  I  go  with  you  too  ?  for  it's 
child's  play  when  three  share  the  day." 


The  Sheep  ana  the  Pig  set  up  House    285 

"With  gossip  and  gabble  is  built  neither  house  nor 
stable,"  said  the  pig;   "let  us  know  what  you  can  do." 

"  By  cunning  and  skill  a  cripple  can  do  what  he 
will,"  said  the  goose.  "  I  can  pluck  moss  and  stuff  it 
into  the  seams  of  the  planks,  and  your  house  will  be 
tight  and  warm." 

Yes,  they  would  give  him  leave,  for,  above  all  things, 
piggy  wished  to  be  warm  and  comfortable. 

So  when  they  had  gone  a  bit  farther — the  goose  had 
hard  work  to  walk  so  fast — they  met  a  hare,  who  came 
frisking  out  of  the  wood. 

"  Good  day,  good  sirs,  and  thanks  for  our  last  merry 
meeting,"  she  said  ;  "  how  far  are  you  trotting  to-day  ?  " 

"  Good  day,  and  the  same  to  you,"  said  the  sheep ; 
"  we  were  far  too  well  off  at  home,  and  so  we're  going  to 
the  wood  to  build  us  a  house,  and  set  up  for  ourselves ; 
for  you  know,  try  all  the  world  round,  there's  nothing 
like  home." 

"  As  for  that,"  said  the  hare,  "  I  have  a  house  in 
every  bush — yes,  a  house  in  every  bush  ;  but  yet,  I 
have  often  said  in  winter,  '  If  1  only  live  till  summer, 
I'll  build  me  a  house ; '  and  so  I  have  half  a  mind  to  go 
with  you  and  build  one  up,  after  all." 

"  Yes,"  said  the  pig,  "  if  we  ever  get  into  a  scrape, 
we  might  use  you  to  scare  away  the  dogs,  for  you  don't 
fancy  you  could  help  us  in  house-building." 

"  He  who  lives  long  enough  always  finds  work 
enough  to  do,"  said  the  hare.  "  I  have  teeth  to  gnaw 
pegs,  and  paws  to  drive  them  into  the  wall,  so  I  can 
very  well  set  up  to  be  a  carpenter ;  for  '  good  tools 
make  good  work,'  as  the  man  said  when  he  flayed  the 
mare  with  a  gimlet." 


286  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

Yes,  he  too  got  leave  to  go  with  them  and  build 
their  house ;  there  was  nothing  more  to  be  said  about  it. 

When  they  had  gone  a  bit  farther  they  met  a  cock. 

"Good  day,  good  sirs,"  said  the  cock,  "and  thanks 
for  our  last  merry  meeting;  whither  are  ye  going 
to-day,  gentlemen  ?  " 

"Good  day,  and  the  same  to  you,"  said  the  sheep; 

'  at  home  we  were  too  well  off,  and  so  we  are  going 

off  to  the  wood  to  build  us  a  house,  and  set  up  for 

ourselves ;  for  he  who  out  of  doors  shall  bake,  loses  at 

last  both  coal  and  cake." 

"Well,"  said  the  cock,  "that's  just  my  case;  but 
it's  better  to  sit  on  one's  own  perch,  for  then  one  can 
never  be  left  in  the  lurch,  and  besides,  all  cocks  crow 
loudest  at  home.  Now,  if  I  might  have  leave  to  join 
such  a  gallant  company,  I  also  would  like  to  go  to  the 
wood  and  build  a  house." 

"  Ay,  ay  ! "  said  the  pig ;  "  flapping  and  crowing  sets 
tongues  a-going,  but  a  jaw  on  a  stick  never  yet  laid  a 
brick.     How  can  you  ever  help  us  to  build  a  house  ?  " 

"  Oh,"  said  the  cock,  "  that  house  will  never  have  a 
clock  where  there  is  neither  dog  nor  cock.  I  am  up 
early,  and  I  wake  every  one." 

"  Very  true,"  said  the  pig ;  "  the  morning  hour  has  a 
golden  dower ;  let  him  come  with  us  ; "  for,  you  must 
know,  piggy  was  always  the  soundest  sleeper.  "Sleep 
is  the  biggest  thief,"  he  said ;  "  he  thinks  nothing  of 
stealing  half  one's  life." 

So  they  all  set  off  to  the  wood  as  a  band  and  brother- 
hood, and  built  the  house.  The  pig  hewed  the  timber, 
and  the  sheep  drew  it  home ;  the  hare  was  carpenter, 
and  gnawed  pegs  and  bolts,  and  hammered  them  into 


The  Sheep  and  the  Pig  set  up  House    287 

the  walls  and  roof;  the  goose  plucked  moss,  and  stuffed 
it  into  the  seams ;  the  cock  crew,  and  looked  out  that 
they  did  not  oversleep  themselves  in  the  morning;  and 
when  the  house  was  ready,  and  the  roof  lined  with 
birch  bark  and  thatched  with  turf,  there  they  lived  by 
themselves,  and  were  merry  and  well.  "  'Tis  good  to 
travel  east  and  west,"  said  the  sheep,  "  but  after  all  a 
home  is  best." 

But  you  must  know  that  a  bit  farther  on  in  the 
wood  was  a  wolf's  den,  and  there  lived  two  greylegs. 
So  when  they  saw  that  a  new  house  had  risen  up  hard 
by,  they  wanted  to  know  what  sort  of  folk  their  neigh- 
bours were,  for  they  thought  to  themselves  that  a  good 
neighbour  was  better  than  a  brother  in  a  foreign  land, 
and  that  it  was  better  to  live  in  a  good  neighbourhood 
than  to  know  many  people  miles  and  miles  off. 

So  one  of  them  made  up  an  errand,  and  went  into 
the  new  house  and  asked  for  a  light  for  his  pipe.  But 
as  soon  as  ever  he  got  inside  the  door,  the  sheep  gave 
him  such  a  butt  that  he  fell  head  foremost  into  the 
stove.  Then  the  pig  began  to  gore  and  bite  him,  the 
goose  to  nip  and  peck  him,  the  cock  upon  the  roost 
to  crow  and  chatter ;  and  as  for  the  hare,  he  was  so 
frightened  out  of  his  wits,  that  he  ran  about  aloft  and 
on  the  floor,  and  scratched  and  scrambled  in  every 
corner  of  the  house. 

So  after  a  long  time  the  wolf  came  out. 

"Well,"  said  the  one  who  waited  for  him  outside, 
"  neighbourhood  makes  brotherhood.  You  must  have 
come  into  a  perfect  paradise  on  bare  earth  since  you 
stayed  so  long.  But  what  became  of  the  light,  for  you 
have  neither  pipe  nor  smoke  ?  " 


288 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


"Yes,  yes,"  said  the  other;  "it  was  just  a  nice 
light,  and  a  pleasant  company.  Such  manners  I  never 
saw  in  all  my  life.  But  then  you  know  we  can't  pick 
and  choose  in  this  wicked  world,  and  an  unbidden 
guest  gets  bad  treatment.  As  soon  as  I  got  inside 
the  door,  the  shoemaker  let  fly  at  me  with  his  last, 
so  that  I  fell  head  foremost  into  the  stithy  fire ;  and 
there  sat  two  smiths,  who  blew  the  bellows  and  made 
the  sparks  fly,  and  beat  and  punched  me  with  red- 
hot  tongs  and  pincers,  so  that  they  tore  whole  pieces 
out  of  my  body.  As  for  the  hunter,  he  went  scram- 
bling about  looking  for  his  gun,  and  it  was  good  luck 
he  did  not  find  it.  And  all  the  while  there  was  another 
who  sat  up  under  the  roof,  and  slapped  his  arms,  and 
sang  out,  '  Put  a  hook  into  him  and  drag  him  hither, 
drag  him  hither.'  That  was  what  he  screamed,  and  if 
he  had  only  got  hold  of  me,  I  should  never  have  come 
out  alive." 


s*- 


The  Golden  Palace  that  hung 
in  the  Air 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  poor  man  who  had 
three    sons.      When    he    died,  the    two   eldest 
were  to  go  out  into  the  world  to  try  their  luck ; 
but  as  for  the  youngest,  they  would  not  have  him  at 
any  price. 

"As  for  you,"  they  said,  "  you  are  fit  for  nothing  but 
to  sit  and  hold  fir  tapers,  and 
grub  in  the  ashes,  and  blow 
up    the    embers ;  that's   what 
you  are  fit  for." 

"Well,  well,"  said  Boots, 
"then  I  must  e'en  go  alone  by 
myself;  at  any  rate,  I  shan't 
fall  out  with  my  company." 

So  the  two  went  their 
way ;  and  when  they  had  tra- 
velled some  days,  they  came 
to  a  great  wood.  There  they 
sat  down   to  rest,   and  were 

just  going  to  take  out  a  meal  from  their  knapsack,  for 
they  were  both  tired  and  hungry.  So  as  they  sat 
there  up  came  an  old  hag  out  of  a  hillock,  and  begged 

s8q  i  T 


290  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

for  a  morsel  of  meat.  She  was  so  old  and  feeble  that 
her  nose  and  mouth  met,  and  she  nodded  with  her 
head,  and  could  only  walk  with  a  stick.  As  for  meat, 
she  had  not  had,  she  said,  a  morsel  in  her  mouth 
these  hundred  }rears.  But  the  lads  only  laughed  at 
her,  and  ate  on,  and  told  her  as  she  had  lived  so  long 
on  nothing,  she  might  very  well  hold  out  the  rest  of 
her  life,  even  though  she  did  not  eat  up  their  scanty 
fare,  for  they  had  little  to  eat,  and  nothing  to  spare. 

So  when  they  had  eaten  their  fill  and  could  eat  no 
more,  and  were  quite  rested,  they  went  on  their  way 
again,  and,  sooner  or  later,  they  came  to  the  king's 
grange,  and  there  they  each  of  them  got  a  place. 

A  while  after  they  had  started  from  home,  Boots 
gathered  together  the  crumbs  which  his  brothers  had 
thrown  on  one  side,  and  put  them  into  his  little  script, 
and  he  took  with  him  the  old  gun  which  had  no  lock, 
for  he  thought  it  might  be  some  good  on  the  way ;  and 
so  he  set  off.  So  when  he  had  wandered  some  days, 
he,  too,  came  into  the  big  wood  through  which  his 
brothers  had  passed ;  and  as  he  got  tired  and  hungry, 
he  sat  down  under  a  tree  that  he  might  rest  and  eat; 
but  he  had  his  eyes  about  him  for  all  that ;  and  as  he 
opened  his  script,  he  saw  a  picture  hanging  on  a  tree, 
and  on  it  was  painted  the  likeness  of  a  young  girl  or 
princess,  whom  he  thought  so  lovely  he  couldn't  keep 
his  eyes  off  her.  So  he  forgot  both  food  and  script, 
and  took  down  the  painting  and  lay  and  stared  at  it. 
Just  then  came  up  the  old  hag  out  of  the  hillock,  who 
hobbled  along  with  her  stick,  whose  nose  and  mouth 
met,  and  whose  head  nodded.  Then  she  begged  for 
a  little  food,  for  she  hadn't  had  a  morsel  of  bread  in 


The  Golden  Palace 


291 


her  mouth  for  a  hundred  years.  That  was  what  she 
said. 

"Then  it's  high  time  you  had  a  little  to  live  on, 
granny,"  said  the  lad  ;  and  with  that  he  gave  her  some 
of  the  crumbs  he  had.  The  old  hag  said  no  one 
had  ever  called  her 
"granny"  these 
hundred  years,  and 
she  would  be  as 
a  mother  to  him  in 
her  turn.  Then  she 
gave  him  a  grey 
ball  of  wool,  which 
he  had  only  to  roll 
on  before  him  and 
he  would  come  to 
whatever  place  he 
wished;  but  as  for 
the  painting,  she  said 
he  mustn't  bother 
himself  about  that, 
he  would  only  fall 
into  ill  luck  if  he 
did.  As  for  Boots, 
he  thought   it  was 

very  kind  of  her  to  say  that ;  but  he  could  not  bear  to 
be  without  the  painting  ;  so  he  took  it  under  his  arm, 
and  rolled  the  ball  of  wool  before  him,  and  it  was  not 
long  before  he  came  to  the  king's  grange,  where  his 
brothers  served.  There  he,  too,  begged  for  a  place,  but 
all  the  answer  he  got  was,  they  had  nothing  to  put  him 
to,  for  they  had  just  got  two  new  serving-men.     But 


292  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

as  he  begged  so  prettily,  at  last  he  got  leave  to  be  with 
the  coachman,  and  learn  how  to  groom  and  handle 
horses.  That  he  was  right  glad  to  do,  for  he  was  fond 
of  horses,  and  he  was  both  quick  and  ready,  so  that  he 
soon  learnt  how  to  bed  and  rub  them  down,  and  it  was 
not  long  before  every  one  in  the  king's  grange  was 
fond  of  him ;  but  every  hour  he  had  to  himself  he  was 
up  in  the  loft  looking  at  the  picture,  for  he  had  hung  it 
up  in  a  corner  of  the  hayloft. 

As  for  his  brothers,  they  were  dull  and  lazy,  and  so 
they  often  got  scolding  and  stripes;  and  when  they 
saw  that  Boots  fared  better  than  they,  they  got  jealous 
of  him,  and  told  the  coachman  he  was  a  worshipper  of 
false  gods,  for  he  prayed  to  a  picture  and  not  to  our 
Lord.  Now,  even  though  the  coachman  thought  well 
of  the  lad,  still  he  wasn't  long  before  he  told  the 
king  what  he  had  heard.  But  the  king  only  swore 
and  snapped  at  him,  for  he  had  grown  very,  very  sad 
and  sorrowful  since  his  daughters  had  been  carried 
off  by  Trolls.  But  they  so  dinned  it  into  the  king's 
ears,  that  at  last  he  must  and  would  know  what 
it  was  that  the  lad  did.  But  when  he  went  up  into 
the  hayloft  and  set  his  eyes  on  the  picture,  he  saw 
that  it  was  his  youngest  daughter  who  was  painted 
on  it.  But  when  the  brothers  of  Boots  heard  that, 
they  were  ready  with  an  answer,  and  said  to  the 
coachman — 

"  If  our  brother  only  would,  he  has  said  he  was 
good  to  get  the  king's  daughter  back." 

You  may  fancy  it  was  not  long  before  the  coach- 
man went  to  the  king  with  this  story ;  and  when  the 
king  heard  it  he  called  for  Boots,  and  said — 


The  Golden  Palace  293 

"Your  brothers  say  you  can  bring  back  my  daughter 
again,  and  now  you  must  do  it." 

Boots  answered,  he  had  never  known  it  was  the 
king's  daughter  till  the  king  said  so  himself,  and  if  he 
could  free  her  and  fetch  her,  he  would  be  sure  to  do 
his  best;  but  two  days  he  must  have  to  think  over  it 
and  fit  himself  out.     Yes,  he  might  have  two  days. 

So  Boots  took  the  grey  ball  of  wool  and  threw  it 
down  on  the  road,  and  it  rolled  and  rolled  before  him, 
and  he  followed  it  till  he  came  to  the  old  hag  from 
whom  he  had  got  it.  Her  he  asked  what  he  must  do; 
and  she  said  he  must  take  with  him  that  old  gun  of  his, 
and  three  hundred  chests  of  nails  and  horseshoe  brads, 
and  three  hundred  barrels  of  barley,  and  three  hundred 
barrels  of  grits,  and  three  hundred  carcasses  of  pigs, 
and  three  hundred  beeves,  and  then  he  was  to  roll  the 
ball  of  wool  before  him  till  he  met  a  raven  and  a  baby 
Troll,  and  then  he  would  be  all  right,  for  they  were  both 
of  her  stock.  Yes,  the  lad  did  as  she  bade  him  ;  he 
went  right  on  to  the  king's  grange,  and  took  his  old 
gun  with  him ;  and  he  asked  the  king  for  the  nails 
and  the  brads,  and  meat  and  flesh,  and  grain,  and  for 
horses  and  men,  and  carts  to  carry  them  in.  The  king 
thought  it  was  a  good  deal  to  ask,  but  if  he  could 
only  get  his  daughter  back,  he  might  have  whatever  he 
chose,  even  to  the  half  of  his  kingdom. 

So  when  the  lad  had  fitted  himself  out,  he  rolled  the 
ball  of  wool  before  him  again,  and  he  hadn't  gone  many 
days  before  he  came  to  a  high  hill,  and  there  sat  a 
raven  up  in  a  fir-tree.  So  Boots  went  on  till  he  came 
close  under  the  tree,  and  then  he  began  to  aim  and 
point  at  the  raven  with  his  gun. 


294 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


" No,  no,"  cried  the  raven;  "don't  shoot  me,  don't 
shoot  me,  and  I'll  help  you." 

"Well,"  said  Boots,  "  I  never  heard  of  any  one  who 
boasted  he  had  eaten  roast  raven,  and  since  you  are  so 
eager  to  save  your  life,  I  may  just  as  well  spare  it." 

So  he  threw  down  his  gun,  and  the  raven  came 
flying  down  to  him,  and  said — 

"  Here,  up  on  this  fell  there  is 
a  baby  Troll  walking  up  and  down, 
for  he  has  lost  his  way,  and  can't 
get  down  again.  I  will  help  you 
up,  and  then  you  can  lead  him 
home,  and  ask  a  boon  which  will 
stand  you  in  good  stead.  When 
you  get  to  the  Troll's  house,  he 
will  offer  you  all  the  grandest 
things  he  has,  but  you  should  not 
heed  them  a  pin.  Mind  you  take 
nothing  else  but  the  little  grey 
ass,  which  stands  behind  the 
stable  door." 

Then  the  raven  took  Boots  on 
his  back  and  flew  up  on  the  hill 
with  him,  and  put  him  off  there. 
When  he  had  gone  about  on  it  a  bit,  he  heard  the 
baby  Troll  howling  and  whining,  because  it  couldn't 
get  down  again.  So  the  lad  talked  kindly  to  it,  and 
they  got  the  best  friends  in  the  world,  and  he  said  he 
would  help  it  down  and  guide  it  to  the  old  Troll's 
house,  that  it  mightn't  lose  itself  on  the  way  back. 
Then  they  went  to  the  raven,  and  he  took  them  both  on 
his  back,  and  carried  them  off  to  the  hill  Troll's  house. 


The  Golden  Palace  295 

And  when  the  old  Troll  saw  his  baby,  he  was  so  glad, 
he  was  beside  himself,  and  told  Boots  he  might  come 
indoors  and  take  whatever  he  chose,  because  he  had 
freed  his  child.  Then  they  offered  him  both  gold  and 
silver,  and  all  that  was  rare  and  costly;  but  the  lad 
said  he  would  rather  have  a  horse  than  anything  else. 
Yes,  he  should  have  a  horse,  the  Troll  said,  and  off  they 
went  to  the  stable.  It  was  full  of  the  grandest  horses, 
whose  coats  shone  like  the  sun  and  moon ;  but  Boots 
thought  they  were  all  too  big  for  him.  So  he  peeped 
behind  the  stable  door,  and  when  he  set  eyes  on  the 
little  grey  ass  that  stood  there,  he  said — 

"I'll  take  this  one.  It  will  suit  me  to  a  T,  and  if 
I  fall  off,  I  shall  be  no  farther  from  the  ground  than 
that high." 

The  old  Troll  did  not  at  all  like  to  part  with  his  ass ; 
but  as  he  had  given  his  word,  he  had  to  stand  by  it. 
So  Boots  got  the  ass,  and  saddle,  and  bridle,  and  all 
that  belonged  to  it,  and  then  he  set  off.  They  travelled 
through  wood  and  field,  and  over  fells  and  wide  wastes. 
So  when  they  had  gone  farther  than  far,  the  ass  asked 
Boots  if  he  saw  anything. 

"  No,  I  see  naught  else  than  a  hill,  which  looks  blue 
in  the  distance,"  said  Boots. 

"Oh,"  said  the  ass,  "that  hill  we  have  to  pass 
through." 

"All  very  fine,  I  dare  say,"  said  Boots,  for  he  didn't 
believe  a  word  of  it. 

So  when  they  got  close  to  the  hill  an  unicorn  came 
tearing  along  at  them,  just  as  if  he  were  going  to  eat 
them  up  all  alive. 

"  I  almost  think  now  I'm  afraid,"  said  Boots. 


296  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"Oh,"  said  the  ass,  "don't  say  so;  just  throw  it  a 
score  or  so  of  beeves,  and  beg  it  to  bore  a  hole  and 
break  a  way  for  us  through  the  hill." 

So  Boots  did  as  he  was  told ;  and  when  the  unicorn 
had  eaten  his  fill,  they  said  they  would  give  him  a  score 
or  two  of  pigs'  carcasses  if  he  would  go  before  them 
and  bore  a  hole  in  the  hill,  so  that  they  might  get 
through  it.  So  when  he  heard  that,  he  set  to  work  and 
bored  the  hole,  and  broke  a  way  so  fast,  that  they  had 
hard  work  to  keep  up  with  him,  and  when  he  had  done 
his  work  they  threw  him  two  score  of  pigs. 

So  when  they  had  got  well  out  of  that  they  travelled 
far  away,  until  they  passed  again  through  woods  and 
fields,  and  across  fells  and  wide  wastes. 

"  Do  you  see  anything  now  ?  "  asked  the  ass. 

"  Now  I  see  naught  but  the  bare  sky  and  wild  fells," 
said  Boots. 

So  they  travelled  on  far  and  farther  than  far,  and  the 
higher  up  they  came  the  fell  got  smoother  and  flatter, 
so  that  they  could  see  farther  about  them. 

"  Do  you  see  anything  now  ?  "  said  the  ass. 

"  Yes,  I  see  something  far,  far  away,"  said  Boots, 
"  and  it  gleams  and  twinkles  like  a  little  star." 

"  It's  not  so  very  little,  for  all  that,"  said  the  ass. 

So  when  they  had  gone  on  farther  and  farther  than 
far  again,  the  ass  asked  again — 

"  Do  you  see  anything  now  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  Boots,  "  I  see  something  a  long  way  off 
that  shines  like  a  moon." 

"  It  is  no  moon,"  said  the  ass,  "  but  the  silver  castle 
we  are  bound  for.  Now,  when  we  get  there  you  will 
see  three  dragons  lying  on  the  watch  before  the  gate. 


"  Outside  the  gate  lay  the  dragons.1 


The  Golden  Palace  299 

They  have  not  been  awakened  for  hundreds  of  years, 
and  so  the  moss  has  grown  over  their  eyes." 

"  I  almost  think  I  shall  be  afraid  of  them,"  said 
Boots. 

"  Oh,  don't  say  that,"  said  the  ass ;  "  you've  only  got 
to  wake  up  the  youngest,  and  throw  it  a  score  or  so  of 
beeves  and  swine,  and  the  n  it  will  talk  to  the  others, 
and  so  you'll  come  into  the  castle." 

So  on  they  travelled  far  and  farther  than  far  again 
before  they  came  up  to  the  castle;  but  when  they  reached 
it,  it  was  both  grand  and  great,  and  everything  they  saw 
was  cast  in  silver,  and  outside  the  gate  lay  the  dragons, 
and  blocked  up  the  way  so  that  no  one  could  get  in ; 
but  they  had  a  nice  easy  time  of  it,  and  had  not  been 
much  troubled  in  their  watch ;  for  they  were  so  over- 
grown with  moss  that  no  one  could  tell  what  they  were 
made  of,  and  at  their  sides  underwood  was  springing 
up  between  the  tufts  of  moss.  So  Boots  woke  up  the 
youngest  of  them,  and  it  began  to  rub  its  eyes  and  clear 
the  moss  out  of  them.  But  when  the  dragon  saw  there 
was  folk  there,  he  came  at  them  with  his  maw  wide 
agape ;  but  then  the  lad  stood  ready,  and  tossed  into  it 
the  carcasses  of  beeves,  and  swung  after  them  salted 
swine,  till  the  dragon  had  got  his  fill,  and  grew  a  little 
more  sensible  to  talk  to.  Then  the  lad  begged  he  would 
wake  up  his  fellows,  and  ask  them  to  be  so  good  as  to 
get  out  of  the  way,  so  that  he  might  get  into  the  castle; 
but  the  dragon  neither  would  nor  dared  to  do  that  at 
first,  for  he  said,  as  they  had  not  been  awake  or  tasted 
anything  for  hundreds  of  years,  he  was  afraid  lest  they 
should  get  raving  mad,  and  swallow  up  everything,  alive 
or  dead. 


300  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

But  Boots  thought  there  was  no  need  to  fear  that, 
for  the}r  could  leave  behind  them  a  hundred  carcasses 
of  beeves,  and  a  hundred  salt  swine,  and  go  a  little 
way  off,  and  then  the  dragons  would  have  time  to  eat 
their  fill,  and  to  come  to  themselves  before  the  others 
came  back  to  the  castle. 

Yes,  the  dragon  was  ready  to  do  that,  and  so  they 
did  it;  but  before  the  dragons  were  well  awake,  and 
got  the  moss  rubbed  off  their  eyes,  they  went  about 
roaring  and  raving,  and  riving  and  rending  at  every- 
thing alive  or  dead,  so  that  the  youngest  dragon  had 
enough  to  do  to  shield  himself  from  them  till  they  had 
snuffed  up  the  smell  of  flesh.  Then  they  swallowed 
down  whole  oxen  and  swine,  and  ate  and  ate  till  they 
were  full.  And  after  that  they  were  just  as  tame  and 
buxom  as  the  youngest,  and  let  Boots  pass  between 
them  into  the  castle. 

When  he  got  inside,  it  was  all  so  grand,  he  never 
could  have  thought  anything  could  be  so  good  any- 
where ;  but  there  was  not  a  soul  in  it,  for  he  went 
from  room  to  room,  and  opened  all  the  doors,  but  he 
could  see  no  one.  Well,  at  last  he  peeped  through 
a  door  that  led  to  a  bedroom,  which  he  had  not  seen 
before,  and  in  there  sat  a  princess  spinning,  and  she 
was  so  glad  and  happy  when  she  saw  him. 

"No,  no,"  she  cried;  "can  it  be  that  Christian  folk 
dare  to  come  hither  ?  but  it  will  be  best  for  you  to  be 
off  again,  else  the  Troll  might  kill  you,  for  you  must 
know  a  Troll  lives  here  with  three  heads." 

But  Boots  said  he  would  not  fly  even  if  he  had  seven 
heads.  When  the  princess  heard  that,  she  said  she 
wished  him  to  try  if  he  could  brandish  the  great  rusty 


The   Golden  Palace 


301 


sword  that  hung  behind  the  door.      No,  he  could  not 
brandish  it — he  could  not  so  much  as  even  lift  it. 

"Ah!"  said  the  princess,  "if  you  can't  do  that,  you 
must  take   a  drink   of  that   flask   yonder,  that   hangs 
by  the   side  of  the   sword,  for  that's  what   the  Troll 
does  when  he  goes  out 
to  use  it." 

So  Boots  took  two  or 
three  drinks,  and  then 
he  could  brandish  the 
sword  as  though  it  were 
a  rolling-pin. 

Just  then  came  the 
Troll,  so  that  the  wind 
sung  after  him. 

"  Hu  ! "  he  screeched 
out,  "  what  a  smell  of 
Christian  blood  there  is 
in  here." 

"  I  know  there  is," 
said  Boots,  "but  you 
needn't  blow  and  snort 
so  at  it ;  you  shan't 
suffer  long  from  that 
smell,"  and  in  a  trice  he  cut  off  all  his  heads. 

The  princess  was  so  glad,  just  as  if  she  had  got 
something  so  good  ;  but  in  a  little  while  she  got  heavy- 
hearted,  for  she  pined  for  her  sister,  who  had  been 
stolen  by  a  Troll  with  six  heads,  and  lived  in  a  golden 
castle  three  hundred  miles  on  this  side  of  the  world's 
end.  Boots  thought  that  was  not  so  very  bad,  for  he 
could  go  and  fetch  both  the  princess  and  the  castle; 


302  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

and  so  he  took  the  sword  and  the  flask,  and  got  on  the 
ass,  and  bade  the  dragons  follow  him,  and  carry  the 
meat,  and  grain,  and  nails  which  he  had. 

So  when  they  had  been  a  while  on  the  way,  and  had 
travelled  far,  far  away  over  land  and  strand,  the  ass 
said  one  day — 

"  Do  you  see  anything  ?  " 

"I  see  naught,"  said  Boots,  "but  land  and  water, 
and  bare  sky  and  high  crags." 

So  they  went  on  far  and  farther  than  far,  and  then 
the  ass  said  again — 

"  Do  you  see  anything  now  ?  " 

"  Yes  ; "  when  he  had  looked  well  before  him,  he  saw 
something  a  long,  long  way  off  that  shone  like  a  little 
star. 

"  It  will  be  big  enough  by-and-bye,"  said  the  ass. 

When  they  had  gone  a  good  bit  still,  the  ass  asked — 

"  Do  you  see  anything  now  ?  " 

"  Now  I  see  it  shining  like  a  moon,"  said  the  lad. 

"Ay,  ay ! "  said  the  ass,  and  on  they  went. 

So  when  they  had  gone  far  and  farther  than  far, 
away  over  land  and  strand,  and  hill  and  heath,  the  ass 
asked — 

"  Do  you  see  anything  now  ?  " 

"  Now,  methinks,"  said  Boots,  "  it  shines  most  like 
the  sun." 

"Ay,"  said  the  ass,  "that's  the  golden  castle  for 
which  we  are  bound ;  but  outside  it  lives  a  worm, 
which  stops  the  way  and  keeps  watch  and  ward." 

"I  think  I  shall  be  afraid  of  it,"  said  Boots. 

"  Oh,  don't  say  so,"  said  the  ass  ;  "  we  must  spread 
over  it  heaps  of  boughs,  and  lay  between  them  layers 


The  Golden  Palace  303 

of  horseshoe  brads  and  nails,  and  set  fire  to  them  all, 
and  so  we  shall  be  rid  of  it." 

So  after  a  long,  long  time  they  came  up  to  where 
the  castle  hung  in  the  air,  but  the  worm  lay  underneath 
it  and  stopped  the  way.  So  the  lad  gave  the  dragons 
a  good  meal  of  beeves  and  salted  swine,  that  they 
might  help  him,  and  they  spread  over  the  worm  heaps 
of  boughs  and  wood,  and  laid  between  them  layers  of 
nails  and  brads,  till  they  had  used  up  the  three  hundred 
chests ;  and  when  it  was  all  done,  they  set  fire  to  the 
pile  and  burned  up  the  worm  alive  in  a  fire  at  white 
heat. 

So  when  they  had  done  with  him,  one  dragon  flew 
under  the  castle  and  lifted  it  up,  and  the  two  others 
went  up  high,  high  into  the  air,  and  unloosed  the  links 
and  hooks  by  which  it  hung,  and  so  they  lowered  it 
down  and  set  it  on  the  ground.  When  that  was  done 
Boots  went  inside,  and  there  it  was,  grander  far  than  in 
the  silvern  castle,  but  he  could  see  no  folk  till  he  came 
to  the  innermost  room,  and  there  lay  a  princess  on  a 
bed  of  gold.  She  slept  so  sound,  as  though  she  were 
dead  ;  but  she  was  not,  though  he  was  not  able  to  wake 
her  up,  for  her  face  was  as  red  and  white  as  milk  and 
blood.  And  just  as  Boots  stood  there  gazing  at  her, 
back  came  the  Troll  tearing  along.  As  soon  as  he  put 
his  first  head  through  the  door  he  screamed  out — 

"  Hu !  what  a  smell  of  Christian  blood  there  is  in 
here." 

"  Maybe,"  said  Boots,  "  but  you've  no  need  to  smell 
and  snort  about  that;  you  shan't  suffer  long  Irom  it." 

And  with  that  he  cut  off  all  liis  heads,  as  itiough 
they  stood  on  a  kail-stalic. 


304  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

So  the  dragons  took  the  golden  castle  on  their  backs 
and  went  home  with  it — I  fancy  they  were  not  long 
on  the  way — and  set  it  down  side  by  side  with  the 
silvern  castle,  so  that  it  shone  both  far  and  wide. 

Now,  when  the  princess  of  the  silvern  castle  came  to 
her  window  in  the  morning  and  caught  sight  of  it,  she 
was  so  glad  that  she  sprang  over  to  the  golden  castle 
at  once ;  but  when  she  saw  her  sister  lying  there,  and 
sleeping  as  though  she  were  dead,  she  said  to  Boots 
that  they  would  never  get  life  into  her  before  they 
found  the  water  of  life  and  death,  and  that  stood  in 
two  wells  on  either  side  of  a  golden  castle  which  hung 
in  the  air,  nine  hundred  miles  beyond  the  world's  end, 
and  where  the  third  sister  dwelt. 

Well,  Boots  thought  there  was  no  help  for  it ;  he 
must  go  and  fetch  it,  and  it  was  not  long  before  he 
was  on  his  way.  So  he  travelled  far  and  farther  than 
far  through  many  realms,  across  wood  and  field,  over 
fell  and  firth,  along  hill  and  heath,  and  at  last  he  got  to 
the  world's  end,  and  after  that  he  travelled  far,  far  over 
crags  and  wastes  and  high  rocks. 

"  Do  you  see  anything  ?  "  asked  the  ass  one  day. 

"I  see  naught  but  heaven  and  earth,"  said  the  lad. 

"  Do  you  see  anything  now  ?  "  asked  the  ass  again, 
when  some  days  were  past. 

"  Yes,"  said  Boots ;  "  now  I  see  something  that  glim- 
mers very  high  up,  far,  far  away  like  a  little  star." 

"  It's  not  so  little,  for  all  that,"  said  the  ass. 

So  when  they  had  travelled  on  a  while,  the  ass 
asked — 

"  Do  you  see  anything  now  °  " 

"Yes,"  said  Boots;  "now  it  shines  like  the  sun." 


The  Golden  Palace  305 

"That's  whither  we  are  bound,"  said  the  ass;  "it's 
the  golden  castle  that  hangs  in  the  air,  and  there  lives 
a  princess  who  has  been  stolen  by  a  Troll  with  nine 
heads ;  but  all  the  wild  beasts  there  are  in  the  world 
lie  on  watch,  and  stop  the  way  thither." 

"Ufl"  said  Boots;  "I  almost  think  I'm  afraid  of 
them." 

"  Don't  say  so,"  said  the  ass ;  and  then  he  told  him 
there  was  no  danger,  if  he  would  only  make  up  his 
mind  not  to  linger  there,  but  to  set  off  on  his  way  back 
as  soon  as  ever  he  had  filled  his  flasks  with  the  water, 
for  there  was  no  going  thither  but  during  one  hour  in 
the  day,  and  that  began  at  high  noon ;  but  if  he  were 
not  man  enough  to  be  ready  in  time  and  to  get  away, 
the  beasts  would  tear  him  into  a  thousand  pieces. 

Well,  Boots  said  he  would  be  sure  to  do  that ;  he 
would  not  think  of  staying  too  long. 

At  the  stroke  of  twelve  they  reached  the  castle,  and 
there  lay  all  the  wild  and  savage  beasts  that  ever  were, 
as  it  were  a  fence  before  the  gate  and  on  either  side 
of  the  way.  But  they  all  slumbered  like  stocks  and 
stones,  and  there  wasn't  one  of  them  that  so  much  as 
lifted  a  paw.  So  Boots  passed  between  them,  and 
took  good  heed  not  to  tread  on  their  toes  or  the  tips 
of  their  tails,  and  he  filled  his  flasks  with  the  waters 
of  life  and  death ;  and  while  he  did  that  he  looked  up 
at  the  castle,  which  was  as  though  it  were  cast  in  pure 
gold.  It  was  the  grandest  he  had  ever  seen,  and  he 
thought  it  would  be  grander  still  inside  than  out. 

"Stuff!"  thought  Boots;  "I  have  time  enough  ;  I 
:an  always  look  about  me  in  half-an-hour,"  and  so 
he  opened  the  door  and  went  in.     Well,  inside  it  was 


3°6 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


grander  than  grand  itself,  and  as  he  went  out  of  one 
gorgeous  room  into  another,  it  was  as  if  it  was  all 
made  of  gold  and  pearls,  and  everything  that  was 
costliest  in  the  world.  Folk  there  were  none ;  but 
at  last  he  came  into  a  bedroom  where  there  lay 
another  princess  on  a  bed  of  gold,  just  as  though  she 
were  dead  too,  but  she  was  as  grand  as  the  grandest 
queen,  and  as  red  and  white  as  blood  on  snow,  and 


so  lovely,  he  had  never  seen  anything  so  lovely  but 
her  picture ;  for  she  it  was  that  was  painted  on  it. 

Then  Boots  forgot  both  the  water  he  was  to  fetch, 
and  the  wild  beasts,  and  the  castle,  and  everything, 
and  could  only  gaze  at  the  princess ;  and  he  thought 
he  could  never  have  his  fill  of  looking  at  her;  but  all 
the  while  she  slept  as  though  she  were  dead,  and  he 
was  not  able  to  wake  her  up. 

So  when  it  drew  towards  evening,  the  Troll  came 
tearing  along  so  that  the  wind  sung  after  him,  and  he 


The  Golden  Palace  307 

rattled  and  slammed  the  gates  and  doors  till  the  whole 
castle  rang  again. 

"  Huf ! "  he  cried,  "what  a  strong  smell  of  Christian 
blood  there  is  in  here ; "  and  then  he  stuck  his  first 
head  inside  the  door  and  snuffed  up  the  air. 

"  I  dare  say  there  is,"  said  Boots,  "  but  you've  no 
need  to  puff  and  blow  as  though  you  were  about  to 
burst,  for  it  shan't  vex  you  long; "  and  as  he  said  that, 
he  cut  off  all  his  nine  heads  But  when  he  had  done 
that,  he  got  so  weary  he  couldn't  keep  his  eyes  open. 
So  he  laid  him  down  on  the  bed  by  the  side  of  the 
princess,  and  all  the  while  she  slept  both  night  and 
day,  as  though  she  would  never  wake  again ;  only  at 
midnight  she  just  woke  up  for  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye,  and  then  she  told  him  that  he  had  set  her  free, 
but  she  must  bide  there  three  years  still,  and  if  she 
didn't  come  home  to  him,  then  he  must  just  come  and 
fetch  her. 

When  the  clock  began  to  go  towards  one  next  day, 
Boots  woke  for  the  first  time,  and  the  first  thing  he 
heard  was  the  ass  braying  and  screaming  and  making 
a  stir,  and  so  he  thought  he  would  get  up  and  set  off 
home ;  but  before  he  went  he  cut  a  breadth  out  of  the 
princess's  skirt,  and  took  it  away  with  him.  And 
however  it  was,  he  had  loitered  so  long  there  that 
the  beasts  began  to  wake  and  stir,  and  by  the  time  he 
had  mounted  his  ass  they  stood  in  a  ring  round  him, 
so  that  he  thought  it  had  rather  a  ghastly  look.  But 
the  ass  said  he  must  sprinkle  on  them  a  few  drops 
of  the  water  of  death ;  and  he  did  so,  and  in  a  trice 
they  all  fell  headlong  on  the  spot,  and  never  stirred 
a  limb  more. 


308  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

As  they  were  on  their  way  home  the  ass  said  to 
Boots — 

"  Now,  when  you  come  to  honour  and  glory,  see  if 
you  don't  forget  me  and  all  I  have  done  for  you,  so 
that  I  shall  be  broken-kneed  for  hunger." 

"  Nay,  nay,  that  should  never  be,"  said  the  lad. 

So  when  he  got  home  to  the  princess  with  the  water 
of  life,  she  sprinkled  a  few  drops  over  her  sister,  and 
woke  her  up,  and  then  there  was  such  great  joy,  and 
they  were  so  happy. 

Then  they  travelled  home  to  the  king,  and  he  too 
was  glad  and  joyful  because  he  had  got  those  two 
back;  but  still  he  went  about  longing  and  longing  that 
the  three  years  might  pass  away,  and  his  youngest 
daughter  come  home. 

As  for  Boots,  who  had  brought  them  back,  the 
king  made  him  a  mighty  man,  so  that  he  was  the 
first  in  the  land  after  the  king  himself.  But  there 
were  many  who  were  jealous  that  he  should  have 
grown  to  be  such  a  man  of  mark,  and  one  of  them 
was  Ritter  Red,  who  they  did  say  wished  to  have 
the  eldest  princess,  and  he  got  her  to  sprinkle  over 
Boots  a  little  of  the  water  of  death,  so  that  he  swooned 
off  and  lay  as  dead. 

So  when  the  three  years  were  over,  and  a  bit  of  the 
fourth  was  gone,  there  came  sailing  up  a  strange  ship 
of  war,  and  on  board  was  the  third  sister,  and  with  her 
she  had  a  boy  three  years  old.  She  sent  word  up  to 
the  king's  grange,  and  said  she  would  not  set  her  foot 
on  land  till  they  had  sent  him  who  had  been  in  the 
golden  castle  and  set  her  free.  So  they  sent  down  to 
her  one  of  the  highest  men  about  court,  the  master  of 


The   Golden  Palace 


3°9 


the  ceremonies  himself;  and  when  he  came  on  board 
the  princess's  ship,  he  took  off  his  hat  and  bowed  and 
scraped,  and  bent  himself  before  her. 

"  Can  that  be  your  father,  my  son  ?  "  said  the  princess 
to  her  boy,  who  was  playing  with  a  golden  apple. 

"  No,"  said  the  child,  "  my  father  doesn't  crawl  about 
like  a  cheese-mite." 

So  they  sent  another  of  the  same  stamp,  and  this 


time  it  was  Ritter  Red.  But  it  fared  no  better  with 
him  than  with  the  first  one,  and  the  princess  sent  word 
by  him,  if  they  didn't  make  haste  and  send  the  right 
one,  it  should  go  ill  with  them.  When  they  heard  that, 
they  were  forced  to  wake  up  Boots  with  the  water  of  life; 
and  so  he  went  down  to  the  ship  to  the  princess,  but 
he  didn't  make  too  low  a  bow,  I  should  think ;  he 
only  nodded  his  head,  and  brought  out  the  breadth  he 


310  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

had  cut  out  of  the  skirt  of  the  princess  in  the  golden 
castle. 

"  That's  my  father !  that's  my  father  !  "  bawled  out 
the  boy,  and  gave  him  the  golden  apple  he  was  playing 
with. 

Then  there  was  great  joy  and  mirth  all  over  the 
realm,  and  the  old  king  was  the  gladdest  of  all  of 
them,  because  he  had  got  his  darling  back  again. 
But  when  what  Ritter  Red  and  the  eldest  princess 
had  done  to  Boots  came  out,  the  king  asked  to 
have  them  both  rolled  down  a  hill,  each  in  a  cask 
full  of  spikes  and  nails;  but  Boots  and  the  youngest 
princess  begged  hard  for  them,  and  so  they  got  off 
with  life. 

Now  it  happened  one  day,  as  they  were  about  to 
begin  the  bridal  feast,  that  they  stood  looking  out  of 
the  window;  it  was  towards  spring,  just  when  they 
were  turning  out  the  horses  and  cows  after  the  winter, 
and  the  last  that  came  out  of  the  stable  was  the  ass ; 
but  it  was  so  starved,  that  it  came  out  of  the  stable  door 
on  its  keees. 

Then  Boots  was  cut  to  the  heart  because  he  had 
forgotten  it,  and  he  went  down  and  did  not  know  how 
to  make  it  up  to  the  poor  beast.  But  the  ass  said 
the  best  thing  he  could  do  was  to  cut  his  head  off. 
That  he  was  very  loath  to  do,  but  the  ass  begged  so 
prettily  that  he  had  to  yield,  and  did  it  at  last;  and 
as  soon  as  ever  his  head  fell  in  the  yard,  it  was  all 
over  with  the  shape  which  had  been  thrown  over 
him  by  witchcraft,  and  there  stood  the  handsomest 
prince  any  one  cared  to  see.  He  got  the  second 
princess  to  wife,  and  they  fell  to  keeping  the  bridal 


The  Golden  Palace 


311 


feast,  so  that  it  was  heard  and  talked  of  over  seven 
kingdoms. 

Then  they  built  themselves  houses, 
And  stitched  themselves  shoon, 
And  had  so  many  bairns 
They  reached  up  to  the  moon. 


Little  Freddy  with  his  Fiddle 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  cottager  who  had  an 
only  son,  and  this  lad  was  weakly,  and  hadn't 
much  health  to  speak  of;  so  he  couldn't  go 
out  to  work  in  the  field. 

His  name  was  Freddy,  and  undersized  he  was  too ; 
and  so  they  called  him  Little  Freddy.  At  home  there 
was  little  either  to  bite  or  sup,  and  so  his  father  went 
about  the  country  trying  to  bind  him  over  as  a  cow- 
herd or  an  errand-boy ;  but  there  was  no  one  who 
would  take  his  son  till  he  came  to  the  sheriff,  and  he 
was  ready  to  take  him,  for  he  had  just  packed  off  his 
errand-boy,  and  there  was  no  one  who  would  fill  his 
place,  for  the  story  went  that  he  was  a  skinflint. 

But  the  cottager  thought  it  was  better  there  than 
nowhere  ;  he  would  get  his  food,  for  all  the  pay  he  was 
to  get  was  his  board — there  was  nothing  said  about 
wages  or  clothes.  So  when  the  lad  had  served  three 
years  he  wanted  to  leave,  and  then  the  sheriff  gave  him 
all  his  wages  at  one  time.  He  was  to  have  a  penny  a 
year.  "  It  couldn't  well  be  less,"  said  the  sheriff.  And 
so  he  got  threepence  in  all. 

As  for  little  Freddy,  he  thought  it  was  a  great  sum, 
for  he  had  never  owned  so  much  ;  but  for  all  that,  he 
asked  if  he  wasn't  to  have  something  more. 


Little  Freddy  with  his  Fiddle        3 1  3 

"  You  have  already  had  more  than  you  ought  to 
have,"  said  the  sheriff. 

"  Shan't  I  have  anything,  then,  for  clothes  ? " 
asked  little  Freddy ;  "  for  those  I  had  on  when  1 
came  here  are  worn  to  rags,  and  I  have  had  no  new 
ones." 

And,  to  tell  the  truth,  he  was  so  ragged  that  the 
tatters  hung  and  flapped  about  him. 

"  When  you  have  got  what  we  agreed  on,"  said 
the  sheriff,  "and  three  whole  pennies  beside,  I  have 
nothing  more  to  do  with  you.     Be  off! " 

But  for  all  that,  he  got  leave  just  to  go  into  the 
kitchen  and  get  a  little  food  to  put  in  his  script ;  and 
after  that  he  set  off  on  the  road  to  buy  himself  more 
clothes.  He  was  both  merry  and  glad,  for  he  had 
never  seen  a  penny  before;  and  every  now  and  then 
he  felt  in  his  pockets  as  he  went  along  to  see  if  he  had 
them  all  three.  So  when  he  had  gone  far  and  farther 
than  far,  he  got  into  a  narrow  dale,  with  high  fells  on 
all  sides,  so  that  he  couldn't  tell  if  there  were  any  way 
to  pass  out ;  and  he  began  to  wonder  what  there  could 
be  on  the  other  side  of  those  fells,  and  how  he  ever 
should  get  over  them. 

But  up  and  up  he  had  to  go,  and  on  he  strode ;  he 
was  not  strong  on  his  legs,  and  had  to  rest  every  now 
and  then — and  then  he  counted  and  counted  how  many 
pennies  he  had  got.  So  when  he  had  got  quite  up  to 
the  very  top,  there  was  nothing  but  a  great  plain  over- 
grown with  moss.  There  he  sat  him  down,  and  began 
to  see  if  his  money  was  all  right ;  and  before  he  was 
aware  of  him  a  beggar-man  came  up  to  him,  and  he  was 
so  tall  and  big  that  the  lad  began  to  scream  and  screech 


314  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

when  he  got  a  good  look  of  him,  and  saw  his  height 
and  length. 

"  Don't  you  be  afraid,"  said  the  beggar-man ;  "  I'll 
do  you  no  harm.  I  only  beg  for  a  penny,  in  God's 
name." 

"  Heaven  help  me  !  "  said  the  lad.  "  I  have  only 
three  pennies,  and  with  them  I  was  going  to  the  town 
to  buy  clothes." 

"  It  is  worse  for  me  than  for  you,"  said  the  beggar- 
man.  "  I  have  got  no  penny,  and  I  am  still  more 
ragged  than  you." 

"Well,  then,  you  shall  have  it,"  said  the  lad. 

So  when  he  had  walked  on  awhile  he  got  weary, 
and  sat  down  to  rest  again.  But  when  he  looked 
up  there  he  saw  another  beggar-man,  and  he  was  still 
taller  and  uglier  than  the  first ;  and  so  when  the  lad 
saw  how  very  tall  and  ugly  and  long  he  was,  he  fell 
a-screeching. 

"  Now,  don't  you  be  afraid  of  me,"  said  the  beggar ; 
"I'll  not  do  you  any  harm.  I  only  beg  for  a  penny,  in 
God's  name." 

"Now,  may  Heaven  help  me  !  "  said  the  lad.  "  I've 
only  got  two  pence,  and  with  them  I  was  going  to  the 
town  to  buy  clothes.  If  I  had  only  met  you  sooner, 
then " 

"It's  worse  for  me  than  for  you,"  said  the  beggar- 
man.  "  I  have  no  penny,  and  a  bigger  body  and  less 
clothing." 

"  Well,  you  may  have  it,"  said  the  lad. 

So  he  went  awhile  farther,  till  he  got  weary,  and 
then  he  sat  down  to  rest ;  but  he  had  scarce  sat  down 
than  a  third  beggar-man  came  to  him.     He  was  so  tall 


Little  Freddy  with  his  Fiddle        315 

and  ugly  and  long,  that  the  lad  had  to  look  up  and  up, 
right  up  to  the  sky.  And  when  he  took  him  all  in 
with  his  eyes,  and  saw  how  very,  very  tall  and  ugly 
and  ragged  he  was,  he  fell  a-screeching  and  screaming 
again. 

"  Now,  don't  you  be  afraid  of  me,  my  lad,"  said  the 
beggar-man;  "I'll  do  you  no  harm;  for  I  am  only  a 
beggar-man,  who  begs  for  a  penny  in  God's  name." 

"  May  Heaven  help  me !  "  said  the  lad.  "  I  have 
only  one  penny  left,  and  with  it  I  was  going  to  the 
town  to  buy  clothes.  If  I  had  only  met  you  sooner, 
then " 

"As  for  that,"  said  the  beggar-man,  "I  have  no 
penny  at  all,  that  I  haven't,  and  a  bigger  body  and 
less  clothes,  so  it  is  worse  for  me  than  for  you." 

"Yes,"  said  little  Freddy,  he  must  have  the 
penny  then — there  was  no  help  for  it;  for  so  each 
would  have  what  belonged  to  him,  and  he  would  have 
nothing. 

"  Well,"  said  the  beggar-man,  "  since  you  have  such 
a  good  heart  that  you  gave  away  all  that  you  had  in 
the  world,  I  will  give  you  a  wish  for  each  penny." 
For  you  must  know  it  was  the  same  beggar-man  who 
had  got  them  all  three ;  he  had  only  changed  his 
shape  each  time,  that  the  lad  might  not  know  him 
again. 

"  I  have  always  had  such  a  longing  to  hear  a  fiddle 
go,  and  see  folk  so  glad  and  merry  that  they  couldn't 
help  dancing,"  said  the  lad;  "and  so,  if  I  may  wish 
what  I  choose,  I  will  wish  myself  such  a  fiddle,  that 
everything  that  has  life  must  dance  to  its  tune." 

"That  he  might  have,"  said  the  beggar-man;  but  it 


3 1 6  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

was  a  sorry  wish.  "  You  must  wish  something  better 
for  the  other  two  pennies." 

"  I  have  always  had  such  a  love  for  hunting  and 
shooting,"  said  little  Freddy ;  "  so  if  I  may  wish  what 
I  choose,  I  will  wish  myself  such  a  gun  that  I  shall 
hit  everything  I  aim  at,  were  it  ever  so  far  off." 

"  That  he  might  have,"  said  the  beggar-man ;  but 
it  was  a  sorry  wish.  "  You  must  wish  better  for  the 
last  penny." 

"  I  have  always  had  a  longing  to  be  in  company 
with  folk  who  were  kind  and  good,"  said  little  Freddy; 
"  and  so,  if  I  could  get  what  I  wish,  I  would  wish  it 
to  be  so  that  no  one  can  say  '  Nay '  to  the  first  thing 
I  ask." 

"  That  wish  was  not  so  sorry,"  said  the  beggar-man ; 
and  off  he  strode  between  the  hills,  and  he  saw  him  no 
more.  And  so  the  lad  lay  down  to  sleep,  and  the 
next  day  he  came  down  from  the  fell  with  his  fiddle 
and  his  gun. 

First  he  went  to  the  storekeeper  and  asked  for 
clothes,  and  at  one  farm  he  asked  for  a  horse,  and 
at  another  for  a  sledge ;  and  at  this  place  he  asked 
for  a  fur  coat,  and  no  one  said  him  "  Nay  " — even  the 
stingiest  folk,  they  were  all  forced  to  give  him  what  he 
asked  for.  At  last  he  went  through  the  country  as  a 
fine  gentleman,  and  had  his  horse  and  his  sledge; 
and  so  when  he  had  gone  a  bit  he  met  the  sheriff  with 
whom  he  had  served. 

"  Good  day,  master,"  said  little  Freddy,  as  he  pulled 
up  and  took  off  his  hat. 

"  Good  day,"  said  the  sheriff.  And  then  he  went  on, 
"  When  was  I  ever  your  master  ?  " 


Little  Freddy  with  his  Fiddle        317 


"Oh,  yes,"    said    little    Freddy.       "Don't    you   re- 
member  how    I    served    you    three    years    for   three 


pence 


?» 


"  Heaven  help  us  !  "  said   the   sheriff.     "  How  you 
have  got  on  all  of  a  hurry !     And  pray,  how  was  it 
that  you  got  to  be  such  a 
fine  gentleman  ?  " 

"  Oh,  that's  tellings," 
said  little  Freddy. 

"  And  are  you  full  of 
fun,  that  you  carry  a  fiddle 
about  with  you  ?  "  asked 
the  sheriff. 

"Yes, yes,"  said  Freddy. 
"  I  have  always  had  such 
a  longing  to  get  folk  to 
dance ;  but  the  funniest 
thing  of  all  is  this  gun, 
for  it  brings  down  almost 
anything  that  I  aim  at, 
however  far  it  may  be  off. 
Do  you  see  that  magpie 
yonder,     sitting     in     the 

spruce    fir?     What'll  you  bet   I   don't  bag  it  as  we 
stand  here  ?  " 

On  that  the  sheriff  was  ready  to  stake  horse  and 
groom,  and  a  hundred  dollars  beside,  that  he  couldn't 
do  it ;  but  as  it  was,  he  would  bet  all  the  money  he 
had  about  him ;  and  he  would  go  to  fetch  it  when  it 
fell — for  he  never  thought  it  possible  for  any  gun  to 
carry  so  far. 

But  as  the  gun  went  off  down  fell  the  magpie,  and 


3 1 8  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

into  a  great  bramble  thicket ;  and  away  went  the 
sheriff  up  into  the  brambles  after  it,  and  he  picked 
it  up  and  showed  it  to  the  lad.  But  in  a  trice  little 
Freddy  began  to  scrape  his  fiddle,  and  the  sheriff 
began  to  dance,  and  the  thorns  to  tear  him ;  but  still 
the  lad  played  on,  and  the  sheriff  danced,  and  cried, 
and  begged  till  his  clothes  flew  to  tatters,  and  he 
scarce  had  a  thread  to  his  back. 

"  Yes,"  said  little  Freddy,  "  now  I  think  you're  about 
as  ragged  as  I  was  when  I  left  your  service;  so  now 
you  may  get  off  with  what  you  have  got." 

But  first  of  all,  the  sheriff  had  to  pay  him  what 
he  had  wagered  that  he  could  not  hit  the  magpie. 

So  when  the  lad  came  to  the  town  he  turned  aside 
into  an  inn,  and  he  began  to  play,  and  all  who  came 
danced,  and  he  lived  merrily  and  well.  He  had  no 
care,  for  no  one  would  say  him  "  Nay  "  to  anything  he 
asked. 

But  just  as  they  were  all  in  the  midst  of  their  fun, 
up  came  the  watchmen  to  drag  the  lad  off  to  the  town- 
hall  ;  for  the  sheriff  had  laid  a  charge  against  him, 
and  said  he  had  waylaid  him  and  robbed  him,  and 
nearly  taken  his  life.  And  now  he  was  to  be  hanged 
— they  would  not  hear  of  anything  else.  But  little 
Freddy  had  a  cure  for  all  trouble,  and  that  was  his 
fiddle.  He  began  to  play  on  it,  and  the  watchmen 
fell  a-dancing,  till  they  lay  down  and  gasped  for 
breath. 

So  they  sent  soldiers  and  the  guard  on  their  way ; 
but  it  was  no  better  with  them  than  with  the  watch- 
men. As  soon  as  ever  little  Freddy  scraped  his 
fiddle,  they  were  all  bound  to  dance,  so  long  as  he 


tygngyxp- 


"  All  that  were  there  fell  a-dancing  at  once." 


Little  Freddy  with  his  Fiddle  321 

could  lift  a  finger  to  play  a  tune ;  but  they  were  half 
dead  long  before  he  was  tired.  At  last  they  stole  a 
march  on  him,  and  took  him  while  he  lay  asleep  by 
night;  and  when  they  had  caught  him,  he  was  doomed 
to  be  hanged  on  the  spot,  and  away  they  hurried  him 
to  the  gallows-tree. 

There  a  great  crowd  of  people  flocked  together  to 
see  this  wonder,  and  the  sheriff,  he  too  was  there; 
and  he  was  so  glad  at  last  at  getting  amends  for  the 
money  and  the  skin  he  had  lost,  and  that  he  might 
see  him  hanged  with  his  own  eyes.  But  they  did  not 
get  him  to  the  gallows  very  fast,  for  little  Freddy  was 
always  weak  on  his  legs,  and  now  he  made  himself 
weaker  still.  His  fiddle  and  his  gun  he  had  with  him 
also — it  was  hard  to  part  him  from  them;  and  so, 
when  he  came  to  the  gallows,  and  had  to  mount  the 
steps,  he  halted  on  each  step ;  and  when  he  got  to 
the  top  he  sat  down,  and  asked  if  they  could  deny 
him  a  wish,  and  if  he  might  have  leave  to  do  one 
thing?  He  had  such  a  longing,  he  said,  to  scrape  a 
tune  and  play  a  bar  on  his  fiddle  before  they  hanged 
him. 

"  No,  no,"  they  said ;  "  it  were  sin  and  shame  to 
deny  him  that."  For,  you  know,  no  one  could  gainsay 
what  he  asked. 

But  the  sheriff  he  begged  them,  for  God's  sake,  not 
to  let  him  have  leave  to  touch  a  string,  else  it  was 
all  over  with  them  altogether;  and  if  the  lad  got 
leave,  he  begged  them  to  bind  him  to  the  birch  that 
stood  there. 

So  little  Freddy  was  not  slow  in  getting  his  fiddle 
to  speak,  and  all  that  were  there  fell  a-dancing  at  once, 


322  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

those  who  went  on  two  legs,  and  those  who  went 
on  four;  both  the  dean  and  the  parson,  and  the 
lawyer,  and  the  bailiff,  and  the  sheriff,  masters  and 
men,  dogs  and  swine — they  all  danced  and  laughed 
and  screeched  at  one  another.  Some  danced  till  they 
lay  for  dead ;  some  danced  till  they  fell  into  a  swoon. 
It  went  badly  with  all  of  them,  but  worst  of  all  with 
the  sheriff;  for  there  he  stood  bound  to  the  birch,  and 
he  danced  and  scraped  great  bits  off  his  back  against 
the  trunk.  There  was  not  one  of  them  who  thought 
of  doing  anything  to  little  Freddy,  and  away  he  went 
with  his  fiddle  and  his  gun,  just  as  he  chose ;  and  he 
lived  merrily  and  happily  all  his  days,  for  there  was 
no  one  who  could  say  him  "  Nay  "  to  the  first  thing  he 
asked  for. 


Mother  Roundabout's  Daughter 


NCE  on  a  time  there 
was  a  goody  who  had 
a  son,  and  he  was  so 
lazy  and  slow  he  would 
never  turn  his  hand 
to  anything  that  was 
useful ;  but  singing 
and  dancing  he  was 
very  fond  of;  and  so  he  danced  and  sang  as  long  as 
it  was  day,  and  sometimes  even  some  way  on  in  the 
night.  The  longer  this  lasted,  the  harder  it  was  for 
the  goody ;  the  boy  grew,  and  meat  he  must  have  with- 
out stint,  and  more  and  more  was  spent  in  clothing  as 
he  grew  bigger  and  bigger,  and  it  was  soon  worn  out, 
I  should  think;  for  he  danced  and  sprang  about  both 
in  wood  and  field. 

At  last  the  goody  thought  it  too  bad ;  so  she  told 
the  lad  that  now  he  must  begin  to  turn  his  hand  to 
work  and  live  steadily,  or  else  there  was  nothing 
before  both  of  them  but  starving  to  death.  But  that 
the  lad  had  no  mind  to  do.  He  said  he  would  far 
rather  woo  Mother  Roundabout's  daughter ;  for  if  he 
could  only  get  her,  he  would  be  able  to  live  well  and 


324  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

good  all  his  days,  and  sing  and  dance,  and  never  do 
one  stroke  of  work. 

When  his  mother  heard  that,  she  too  thought  it 
would  be  a  very  fine  thing  ;  and  so  she  fitted  out  the 
lad  as  well  as  she  could,  that  he  might  look  tidy  when 
he  got  to  Mother  Roundabout's  house ;  and  so  he  set 
off  on  his  way. 

Now  when  he  got  out  of  doors  the  sun  shone  warm 
and  bright ;  but  it  had  rained  the  night  before,  so  that 
the  ways  were  soft  and  miry,  and  all  the  bog-holes 
stood  full  of  water.  The  lad  took  a  short  cut  to 
Mother  Roundabout's,  and  he  sang  and  jumped,  as  was 
ever  his  wont ;  but  just  as  he  sprang  and  leapt  he  got 
to  a  bog-hole,  and  over  it  lay  a  little  bridge,  and  from 
the  bridge  he  had  to  make  a  spring  across  a  hole  on  to 
a  tuft  of  grass,  that  he  might  not  dirty  his  shoes.  But 
plump,  it  went  all  at  once,  and  just  as  he  put  his 
foot  on  the  tuft  it  gave  way  under  him,  and  there  was 
no  stopping  till  he  found  himself  in  a  nasty  deep,  dark 
hole.  At  first  he  could  see  nothing,  but  when  he  had 
been  there  a  while  he  had  a  glimpse  of  a  rat,  which 
came  wiggle-waggle  up  to  him  with  a  bunch  of  keys  at 
the  tip  of  her  tail. 

"  What !  you  here,  my  boy  ?  "  said  the  rat.  "  Thank 
you  kindly  for  coming  to  me.  I  have  waited  long  for 
you.  You  come,  of  course,  to  woo  me,  and  you  are 
eager  at  it,  I  can  very  well  see;  but  you  must  have 
patience  yet  awhile,  for  I  shall  have  a  great  dower,  and 
I  am  not  ready  for  my  wedding  just  yet,  but  I'll  do 
my  best  that  it  shall  be  as  soon  as  ever  I  can." 

When  she  had  said  that,  she  brought  out  ever  so 
many  egg-shells,  with  all  sorts  of  bits  and  scraps,  such 


Mother  Roundabout's  Daughter       325 

as  rats  are  wont  to  eat,  and  set  them  before  him,  and 
said — 

"  Now,  you  must  sit  down  and  eat ;  I  am  sure  you 
must  be  both  tired  and  hungry." 

But  the  lad  thought  he  had  no  liking  for  such  food. 

"  If  I  were  only  well  away  from  this,  above  ground 
again,"  he  thought  to  himself,  but  he  said  nothing  out 
loud. 

"  Now,  I  dare  say  you'd  be  glad  to  go  home  again," 
said  the  rat.  "  I  know  your  heart  is  set  on  this 
wedding,  and  I'll  make  all  the  haste  I  can ;  and  you 
must  take  with  you  this  linen  thread,  and  when  you 
get  up  above  you  must  not  look  round,  but  go  straight 
home,  and  on  the  way  you  must  mind  and  say  nothing 
but 

'  Short  before,  and  long  back, 
Short  before,  and  long  back  ;'" 

and  as  she  said  this,  she  put  the  linen  thread  into  his 
hand. 

"  Heaven  be  praised ! "  said  the  lad,  when  he  got 
above  ground.  "  Thither  I'll  never  come  again,  if  I 
can  help  it." 

But  he  still  had  the  thread  in  his  hand,  and  he 
sprang  and  sang  as  he  was  wont ;  but  even  though  he 
thought  no  more  of  the  rat-hole,  he  had  got  his  tongue 
into  the  tune,  and  so  he  sang, 

"  Short  before,  and  long  back, 
Short  before,  and  long  back." 

So  when  he  got  back  home  into  the  porch  he  turned 
round,  and  there  lay  many  many  hundred  ells  of  the 


326  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

whitest  linen,  so  fine  that  the  handiest  weaving  girl 
could  not  have  woven  it  finer. 

"Mother!  mother!  come  out,"  he  cried  and  roared. 

Out  came  the  goody  in  a  bustle,  and  asked  whatever 
was  the  matter;  but  when  she  saw  the  linen  woof, 
which  stretched  as  far  back  as  she  could  see  and  a  bit 
beside,  she  couldn't  believe  her  eyes,  till  the  lad  told 
her  how  it  had  all  happened.  And  when  she  had 
heard  it,  and  tried  the  woof  between  her  fingers, 
she  got  so  glad  that  she,  too,  began  to  dance  and 
sing. 

So  she  took  the  linen  and  cut  it  out,  and  sewed 
shirts  out  of  it  both  for  herself  and  her  son,  and  the 
rest  she  took  into  the  town  and  sold,  and  got  money 
for  it.  And  now  they  both  lived  well  and  happily  a 
while;  but  when  the  money  was  all  gone,  the  goody 
had  no  more  food  in  the  house,  and  so  she  told  her 
son  he  really  must  now  begin  to  go  to  work,  and  live 
like  the  rest  of  the  world,  else  there  was  nothing  for 
it  but  starving  for  them  both. 

But  the  lad  had  more  mind  to  go  to  Mother  Round- 
about and  woo  her  daughter.  Well,  the  goody 
thought  that  a  very  fine  thing,  for  now  he  had  good 
clothes  on  his  back,  and  he  was  not  such  a  bad 
looking  fellow  cither.  So  she  made  him  smart,  and 
fitted  him  out  as  well  as  she  could ;  and  he  took  out 
his  new  shoes  and  brushed  them  till  they  were  as 
bright  as  glass,  and  when  he  had  done  that,  off  he 
went. 

But  all  happened  just  as  it  did  before.  When  he 
got  out  of  doors  the  sun  shone  warm  and  bright;  but 
it  had  rained  over  night,  so  that  it  was  soft  and  miry, 


Mother  Roundabout's  Daughter       327 


and   all  the  bog-holes  were  full  of  water.      The  lad 

took   the    short   cut   to   Mother   Roundabout,   and  he 

sang  and  sprang  as  he  was  ever  wont.     Now  he  took 

another  way  than  the   one  he  went  before;  but  just 

as  he  leaped  and  jumped,  he  got  upon  the  bridge  over 

the  moor  again,  and  from  it  he  had  to  jump  over  a 

bog-hole  on  to  a  turf,  that  he  might  not  dirty  his  shoes. 

But  plump  it  went,   and 

down  it  went  under  him, 

and  there  was  no  stopping 

till  he  found  himself  in  a 

nasty  deep,  dark  hole.    At 

first  he  could  see  nothing ; 

but    when    he    had    been 

there    a    while    he    got    a 

glimpse    of  a   rat   with  a 

bunch  of  keys  at  the  tip 

of    her    tail,     who    came 

wiggle-waggle  up  to  him. 

"  What !  you  here,  my 
boy?"  said  the  rat.  "That 
was  nice  of  you  to  wish 
to  see  me  so  soon  again. 

You  are  very  eager,  that  I  can  see;  but  you  really 
must  wait  a  while,  for  there  is  still  something  wanting 
to  my  dower,  but  the  next  time  you  come  it  shall  be 
all  right." 

When  she  had  said  this  she  set  before  him  all  kinds 
of  scraps  and  bits  in  egg-shells,  such  as  rats  eat  and 
like;  but  the  lad  thought  it  all  looked  like  meat  that 
had  been  already  eaten  once,  and  he  wasn't  hungry, 
he  said ;  and  all  the  time  he  thought,  "  If  I  could  only 


328  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

once  get  above  ground,  well  out  of  this  hole."  But 
he  said  nothing  out  loud. 

So  after  a  while  the  rat  said — 

"I  dare  say  now  you  would  be  glad  to  get  home 
again ;  but  I'll  hasten  on  the  wedding  as  fast  as  ever 
1  can.  And  now  you  must  take  with  you  this  thread 
of  wool ;  and  when  you  come  above  ground  you  must 
not  look  round,  but  go  straight  home,  and  all  the 
way  you  must  mind  and  say  nothing  than 

'  Short  before,  and  long  back, 
Short  before,  and  long  back  ; ' " 

and  as  she  said  that  she  gave  him  a  thread  of  wool 
into  his  hand. 

"  Heaven  be  praised !  "  said  the  lad,  "  that  I  got 
away.  Thither  I'll  never  go  again,  if  I  can  help  it ;  " 
and  so  he  sang  and  jumped  as  he  was  wont.  As  for 
the  rat-hole,  he  thought  no  more  about  it ;  but  as  he  had 
got  his  tongue  into  tune  he  sang, 

"  Short  before,  and  long  back, 
Short  before,  and  long  back  ;'' 

so  he  kept  on  the  whole  way  home. 

So  when  he  had  got  into  the  yard  at  home  again  he 
turned  and  looked  behind  him,  and  there  la}'  the  finest 
cloth,  more  than  many  hundred  ells ;  ay,  almost  above 
half  a  mile  long,  and  so  fine,  that  no  town  dandy  could 
have  had  finer  cloth  to  his  coat. 

"  Mother  !  mother  !  come  out,"  bawled  the  lad. 

So  the  goody  came  out  of  doors,  and  clapped  her 
hands,  and  was  almost  ready  to  swoon  for  joy  when 
she  saw  all  that  lovely  cloth ;  and  then  he  had  to  tell 


Mother  Roundabout's  Daughter       329 


her  how  he  had  got  it,  and  how  it  had  all  happened 

from  first  to  last.     Then  they  had  a  fine  time  of  it,  you 

may  fancy.     The  lad  got  new  clothes  of  the  finest  sort, 

and  the  goody  went  off  to  the  town  and  sold  the  cloth 

by  little  and  little,  and  made  heaps  of  money.     Then 

she  decked  out  her  cottage,  and  got  so  smart  in  her  old 

days,  as  though  she  had  been  born 

a  lady.      So  they  lived   well  and 

happily ;   but   at  last   that   money 

came  to  an  end   too,   and  so  the 

day  came  when  the  goody  had  no 

more  food  in  the  house,  and  then 

she  told   her  son   he   really  must 

turn   his  hand   to   work,   and  live 

like    the    rest   of  the    world,    else 

there  was  nothing   but  starvation 

staring  both  of  them  in  the  face. 

But  the  lad  thought  it  far  bet- 
ter to  go  to  Mother  Roundabout 
and  woo  her  daughter.  This  time 
the  goody  thought  so  too,  and  said 
not  a  word  against  it ;  for  now  he 
had  new  clothes  of  the  finest  kind, 

and  he  looked  so  well,  she  thought  it  quite  out  of  the 
question  that  any  one  could  say  "  No "  to  so  smart 
a  lad.  So  she  smartened  him  up,  and  made  him  as 
tidy  as  she  could ;  and  he  himself  brought  out  his  new 
shoes,  and  rubbed  them  till  they  shone  so  he  could 
see  his  face  in  them,  and  when  he  had  done  that,  off 
he  went. 

This  time  he  did  not  take  the  short  cut,  but  made  a 
great  bend,  for  down  to  the  rats  he  would  not  go  if  he 


330  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

could  help  it,  he  was  so  tired  of  all  that  wiggle-waggle 
and  that  everlasting  bridal  gossip.  As  for  the  weather 
and  the  ways,  they  were  just  as  they  had  been  twice 
before.  The  sun  shone,  so  that  it  was  dazzling  on  the 
pools  and  bog-holes,  and  the  lad  sang  and  sprang  as  he 
was  wont;  but  just  as  he  sang  and  jumped,  before  he 
knew  where  he  was,  he  was  on  the  very  same  bridge 
across  the  bog  again.  So  he  was  to  jump  from  the 
bridge  over  a  bog-hole  on  to  a  tuft,  that  he  might  not 
dirty  his  bright  shoes.  Plump  it  went,  and  it  gave 
way  with  him,  and  there  was  no  stopping  till  he  was 
down  in  the  same  nasty  deep,  dark  hole  again.  At  first 
he  was  glad,  for  he  could  see  nothing ;  but  when  he  had 
been  there  a  while  he  had  a  glimpse  of  the  ugly  rat, 
and  he  was  so  loath  to  see  her  with  the  bunch  of  keys 
at  the  end  of  her  tail. 

"Good  day,  my  boy!"  said  the  rat;  "you  shall  be 
heartily  welcome  again,  for  I  see  you  can't  bear  to  be 
any  longer  without  me.  Thank  you,  thank  you  kindly; 
but  now  everything  is  ready  for  the  wedding,  and  we 
shall  set  off  to  church  at  once." 

"  Something  dreadful  is  going  to  happen,"  thought 
the  lad,  but  he  said  nothing  out  loud. 

Then  the  rat  whistled,  and  there  came  swarming  out 
such  a  lot  of  small  rats  and  mice  out  of  all  the  holes 
and  crannies,  and  six  big  rats  came  harnessed  to  a 
frying-pan ;  two  mice  got  up  behind  as  footmen,  and 
two  got  up  before  and  drove ;  some,  too,  got  into  the 
pan,  and  the  rat  with  the  bunch  of  keys  at  her  tail 
took  her  seat  among  them.  Then  she  said  to  the 
lad— 

"The  road  is  a  little  narrow  here,  so  you  must  be 


Mother  Roundabout's  Daughter       331 

good  enough  to  walk  by  the  side  of  the  carriage,  my 
darling  boy,  till  it  gets  broader,  and  then  you  shall 
have  leave  to  sit  up  in  the  carriage  alongside  of  me." 

"Very  fine  that  will  be,  I  dare  say,"  thought  the 
lad.  "If  I  were  only  well  above  ground,  I'd  run  away 
from  the  whole  pack  of  you."  That  was  what  he 
thought,  but  he  said  nothing  out  loud. 

So  he  followed  them  as  well  as  he  could ;  sometimes 
he  had  to  creep  on  all  fours,  and  sometimes  he  had  to 
stoop  and  bend  his  back  well,  for  the  road  was  low 
and  narrow  in  places ;  but  when  it  got  broader  he 
went  on  in  front,  and  looked  about  him  how  he  might 
best  give  them  the  slip  and  run  away.  But  as  he 
went  forward  he  heard  a  clear,  sweet  voice  behind 
him,  which  said — 

"Now  the  road  is  good.  Come,  my  dear,  and  get 
up  into  the  carriage." 

The  lad  turned  round  in  a  trice,  and  had  near  lost 
both  nose  and  ears.  There  stood  the  grandest  carriage, 
with  six  white  horses  to  it,  and  in  the  carriage  sat  a 
maiden  as  bright  and  lovely  as  the  sun,  and  round 
her  sat  others  who  were  as  pretty  and  soft  as  stars. 
They  were  a  princess  and  her  playfellows,  who  had 
been  bewitched  all  together.  But  now  they  were  free, 
because  he  had  come  down  to  them,  and  never  said  a 
word  against  them. 

"  Come  now,"  said  the  princess.  So  the  lad  stepped 
up  into  the  carriage,  and  they  drove  to  church  ;  and 
when  they  drove  from  church  again  the  princess  said, 
"  Now  we  will  drive  first  to  my  house,  and  then  we'll 
send  to  fetch  your  mother." 

"  That  is  all  very  well,"  thought  the  lad,  for  he  still 


332  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

said  nothing,  even  now ;  but,  for  all  that,  he  thought 
it  would  be  better  to  go  home  to  his  mother  than  down 
into  that  nasty  rat-hole.  But  just  as  he  thought  that, 
they  came  to  a  grand  castle ;  into  it  they  turned,  and 
there  they  were  to  dwell.  And  so  a  grand  carriage 
with  six  horses  was  sent  to  fetch  the  goody,  and  when 
it  came  back  they  set  to  work  at  the  wedding  feast.  It 
lasted  fourteen  days,  and  maybe  they  are  still  at  it. 
So  let  us  all  make  haste ;  perhaps  we  too  may  come 
in  time  to  drink  the  bridegroom's  health  and  dance 
with  the  bride. 


The  Green   Knight 


NCE  on  a  time  there 
was  a  king  who  was 
a  widower,  and  he 
had  an  only  daughter. 
But  it  is  an  old  say- 
ing, that  a  widower's 
grief  is  like  knocking 
your  funny  bone — it 
hurts,  but  it  soon 
passes  away ;  and  so 
the  king  married  a 
queen  who  had  two 
daughters.  Now  this 
queen  —  well,  she 
was  no  better  than 
stepmothers  are 
wont  to  be;  snappish 
and  spiteful  she  always  was  to  her  stepdaughter. 

Well,  a  long  time  after,  when  they  were  grown  up, 
these  three  girls,  war  broke  out,  and  the  king  had  to  go 
forth  to  fight  for  his  country  and  his  kingdom.  But 
before  he  went  the  three  daughters  had  leave  to  say 
what  the  king  should  buy  and  bring  home  for  each 
of  them,  if  he  won  the  day  against  the  foe. 

333 


334  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

So  the  stepdaughters  were  to  speak  first,  as  you 
may  fancy,  and  say  what  they  wished. 

Well,  the  first  wished  for  a  golden  spinning-wheel, 
so  small  that  it  could  stand  on  a  sixpenny-piece ;  and 
the  second,  she  begged  for  a  golden  winder,  so  small 
that  it  could  stand  on  a  sixpenny-piece  ;  that  was  what 
they  wanted  to  have,  and  till  they  had  them  there  was 
no  spinning  or  winding  to  be  got  out  of  them.  But 
his  own  daughter,  she  would  ask  for  no  other  thing 
than  that  he  would  greet  the  Green  Knight  in  her 
name. 

So  the  king  went  out  to  war,  and  whithersoever  he 
went  he  won,  and  however  things  turned  out  he  brought 
the  things  he  had  promised  his  stepdaughters ;  but  he 
had  clean  forgotten  what  his  own  daughter  had  begged 
him  to  do,  till  at  last  he  made  a  feast  because  he  had 
won  the  day. 

Then  it  was  that  he  set  eyes  on  a  Green  Knight,  and 
all  at  once  his  daughter's  words  came  into  his  head, 
and  he  greeted  him  in  her  name.  The  Green  Knight 
thanked  him  for  the  greeting,  and  gave  him  a  book 
which  looked  like  a  hymn-book  with  parchment  clasps. 
That  the  king  was  to  take  home  and  give  her ;  but  he 
was  not  to  unclasp  it,  or  the  princess  either,  till  she 
was  all  alone. 

So,  when  the  king  had  done  fighting  and  feasting  he 
went  home  again,  and  he  had  scarce  got  inside  the  door 
before  his  stepdaughters  clung  round  him  to  get  what 
he  had  promised  to  buy  them.  Yes,  he  said,  he  had 
brought  them  what  they  wished ;  but  his  own  daughter, 
she  held  back  and  asked  for  nothing,  and  the  king 
forgot  all  about  it  too,  till  one  day  when  he  was  going 


The  Green  Knight 


235 


out,  and  he  put  on  the  coat  he  had  worn  at  the  feast, 
and  just  as  he  thrust  his  hand  into  his  pocket  for  his 
handkerchief,  he  felt  the  book,  and  knew  what  it  was. 

So  he  gave  it  to  his  daughter,  and  said  he  was 
to  greet  her  with  it  from-  the  Green  Knight,  and  she 
mustn't  unclasp  it  till  she  was  all  alone. 

Well,  that  evening  when  she  was  by  herself  in  her 
bedroom  she  un- 
clasped the  book, 
and  as  soon  as  she 
did  so  she  heard 
a  strain  of  music, 
so  sweet  she  had 
never  heard  the 
like  of  it ;  and  then, 
what  do  you  think  ? 
Why,  the  Green 
Knight  came  to  her 
and  told  her  the 
book  was  such  a 
book  that  whenever 
she  unclasped  it  he 
must  come  to  her, 

and  it  would  be  all  the  same  wherever  she  might  be, 
and  when  she  clasped  it  again  he  would  be  off  and 
away  again. 

Well,  she  unclasped  the  book  often  and  often  in  the 
evenings  when  she  was  alone  and  at  rest,  and  the 
knight  always  came  to  her,  and  was  almost  always 
there.  But  her  stepmother,  who  was  always  thrust- 
ing her  nose  into  everything,  she  found  out  there  was 
some  one  with  her  in  her  room,  and  she  was  not  long 


336  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

in  telling  it  to  the  king.  But  he  wouldn't  believe  it. 
No,  he  said,  they  must  watch  first  and  see  if  it  was 
so  before  they  trumped  up  such  stories,  and  took  her 
to  task  for  them. 

So  one  evening  they  stood  outside  the  door  and 
listened,  and  it  seemed  as  though  they  heard  some 
one  talking  inside ;  but  when  they  went  in  there  was 
no  one. 

"Who  was  it  you  were  talking  with?"  asked  the 
stepmother,  both  sharp  and  cross. 

"  It  was  no  one,  indeed,"  said  the  princess. 

"  Nay,"  said  she,  "  I  heard  it  as  plain  as  day." 

"Oh,"  said  the  princess,  "  I  only  lay  and  read  aloud 
out  of  a  prayer-book." 

"  Show  it  me,"  said  the  queen. 

"Well,  then,  it  was  only  a  prayer-book  after  all, 
and  she  must  have  leave  to  read  that,"  the  king  said. 

But  the  stepmother  thought  just  the  same  as  before, 
and  so  she  bored  a  hole  through  the  wall  and  stood 
prying  about  there.  So  one  evening  when  she  heard 
that  the  knight  was  in  the  room,  she  tore  open  the 
door  and  came  flying  into  her  stepdaughter's  room 
like  a  blast  of  wind ;  but  she  was  not  slow  in  clasping 
the  book  either,  and  he  was  off  and  away  in  a  trice ; 
but  however  quick  she  had  been,  for  all  that  her  step- 
mother caught  a  glimpse  of  him,  so  that  she  was  sure 
some  one  had  been  there. 

It  happened  just  then  that  the  king  was  setting  out 
on  a  long,  long  journey ;  and  while  he  was  away  the 
queen  had  a  deep  pit  dug  down  into  the  ground,  and 
there  she  built  up  a  dungeon,  and  in  the  stone  and 
mortar  she  laid  ratsbane  and  other  strong  poisons,  so 


The   Green   Knight  337 

that  not  so  much  as  a  mouse  could  get  through  the 
wall.  As  for  the  master-mason,  he  was  well  paid,  and 
gave  his  word  to  fly  the  land ;  but  he  didn't,  for  he 
stayed  where  he  was.  Then  the  princess  was  thrown 
into  that  dungeon  with  her  maid,  and  when  they  were 
inside  the  queen  walled  up  the  door,  and  left  only  a 
little  hole  open  at  the  top  to  let  down  food  to  them. 
So  there  she  sat  and  sorrowed,  and  the  time  seemed 
long,  and  longer  than  long;  but  at  last  she  remembered 
she  had  her  book  with  her,  and  took  it  out  and  un- 
clasped it.  First  of  all  she  heard  the  same  sweet 
strain  she  had  heard  before,  and  then  arose  a  grievous 
sound  of  wailing,  and  just  then  the  Green  Knight 
came. 

u  I  am  at  death's  door,"  he  said ;  and  then  he  told 
her  that  her  stepmother  had  laid  poison  in  the  mortar, 
and  he  did  not  know  if  he  should  ever  come  out  alive. 
So  when  she  clasped  the  book  up  as  fast  as  she  could, 
she  heard  the  same  wailing  sound. 

But  you  must  know  the  maid  who  was  shut  up  with 
her  had  a  sweetheart,  and  she  sent  word  to  him  to  go 
to  the  master-mason,  and  beg  him  to  make  the  hole  at 
top  big  enough  for  them  to  creep  out  at  it.  If  he  would 
do  that,  the  princess  would  pay  him  so  well  he  could 
live  in  plenty  all  his  days.  Yes,  he  did  so,  and  they 
set  out  and  travelled  far,  far  away  in  strange  lands,  she 
and  her  maid,  and  wherever  they  came  they  asked  after 
the  Green  Knight. 

So  after  a  long,  long  time  they  came  to  a  castle  which 
was  all  hung  with  black  ;  and  just  as  they  were  passing 
by  it  a  shower  of  rain  fell,  and  so  the  princess  stepped 
into  the  church  porch  to  wait  till  the  rain  was  over. 

Y 


33« 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


As  she  stood  there,  a  young  man  and  an  old  man  came 
by,  who  also  wished  to  take  shelter ;  but  the  princess 
drew  away  farther  into  a  corner,  so  that  they  did  not 
see  her. 

"  Why  is  it,"  said  the  young  man,  "  that  the  king's 
castle  is  hung  with  black  ?  " 

"  Don't  you  know,"  said  the  greybeard,  "  the  prince 


f4i^ 


here  is  sick  to  death,  he  whom  they  call  the  Green 
Knight  ?  "  And  so  he  went  on  telling  him  how  it  had  all 
happened.  So  when  the  young  man  had  listened  to 
the  story,  he  asked  if  there  was  any  one  who  could 
make  him  well  again. 

"Nay,    na}r,"    said   the    other;    "there  is    but    one 
cure,  and  that  is  if  the  maiden  who  was  shut  up  in  the 


The  Green  Knight  339 

dungeon  were  to  come  and  pluck  healing  plants  in  the 
fields,  and  boil  them  in  sweet  milk,  and  wash  him  with 
them  thrice." 

Then  he  went  on  reckoning  up  the  plants  that  were 
needful  before  he  could  get  well  again. 

All  this  the  princess  heard,  and  she  kept  it  in  her 
head ;  and  when  the  rain  was  over  the  two  men  went 
away,  nor  did  she  bide  there  long  either. 

So  when  they  got  home  to  the  house  in  which  they 
lived,  out  they  went  at  once  to  get  all  kinds  of  plants 
and  grasses  in  the  field  and  wood,  she  and  the  maid, 
and  they  plucked  and  gathered  early  and  late  till  she 
had  got  all  that  she  was  to  boil.  Then  she  bought 
her  a  doctor's  hat  and  a  doctor's  gown,  and  went  to 
the  king's  castle,  and  offered  to  make  the  prince  well 
again. 

"  No,  no ;  it  is  no  good,"  said  the  king.  So  many 
had  been  there  and  tried,  but  he  always  got  worse 
instead  of  better.  But  she  would  not  yield,  and  gave 
her  word  he  should  be  well,  and  that  soon  and  happily. 
Well,  then,  she  might  have  leave  to  try,  and  so  she 
went  into  the  Green  Knight's  bedroom  and  washed 
him  the  first  time.  And  when  she  came  the  next  day 
he  was  so  well  he  could  sit  up  in  bed ;  the  day  after 
he  was  man  enough  to  walk  about  the  room,  and  the 
third  he  was  as  well  and  lively  as  a  fish  in  the  water. 

"Now  he  may  go  out  hunting,"  said  the  doctor. 

Then  the  king  was  as  overjoyed  with  the  doctor  as 
a  bird  in  broad  day.  But  the  doctor  said  he  must  go 
home. 

Then  she  threw  off"  her  hat  and  gown,  and  dressed 
herself  smart,  and  made  a  feast,  and  then  she  unclasped 


340  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

the  book.  Then  arose  the  same  joyful  strain  as  of  old, 
and  in  a  trice  the  Green  Knight  was  there,  and  he 
wondered  much  to  know  how  she  had  got  thither. 

So  she  told  him  all  about  it,  and  how  it  had  hap- 
pened ;  and  when  they  had  eaten  and  drunk  he  took  her 
straight  up  to  the  castle,  and  told  the  king  the  whole 
story  from  beginning  to  end.  Then  there  was  such  a 
bridal  and  such  a  feast ;  and  when  it  was  over  they  set 
off  to  the  bride's  home,  and  there  was  great  joy  in  her 
father's  heart ;  but  they  took  the  stepmother  and  rolled 
her  down-hill  in  a  cask  full  of  spikes. 


Boots  and  his  Crew 


NCE  on  a  time  there 
was  a  king,  and  that 
king  had  heard  talk  of 
a  ship  that  went  as  fast 
by  land  as  it  did  by 
water;  so  he  set  his 
heart  on  having  such  a 
ship,  and  he  gave  his 
word  that  the  man  who 
could  build  it  should 
have  the  princess  and 
half  the  kingdom.  And 
this  promise  he  had 
given  out  in  every 
parish  church  i 
realm,  and  at 
parish  meeting. 


in  the 
every 
There 


were  many  that  tried 
their  hands,  you  may  fancy ;  for  it  was  a  nice  thing  to 
have  half  the  kingdom,  and  it  was  brave  to  get  the 
princess  into  the  bargain ;  but  it  went  ill  with  most  of 
them. 

So  there  were  three  brothers  away  in  the  wood  ;  the 
eldest  was    called    Peter,   the    second    Paul,    and    the 


342  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

youngest  Osborn  Boots,  because  he  was  for  ever  sitting 
and  grubbing  in  the  ashes.  But  it  so  happened  that 
on  the  Sunday  when  the  king's  promise  was  given  out, 
he  was  at  church  too.  So  when  he  got  home  and  told 
the  story,  his  eldest  brother,  Peter,  begged  his  mothei 
for  some  food,  for  he  was  bent  on  setting  off,  and  trying 
his  luck,  if  he  couldn't  build  the  ship  and  win  the 
princess  and  half  the  realm.  So  when  he  had  got  his 
wallet  full  he  strode  off  from  the  farm,  and  on  the 
way  he  met  an  old,  old  man,  who  was  so  bent  and 
wretched. 

"  Whither  away  ?  "  asked  the  old  man. 

u  Oh,"  said  Peter,  "  I'm  off  to  the  wood  to  make  a 
platter  for  my  father,  for  he  doesn't  like  to  eat  out  ol 
the  same  dish  with  us." 

"  A  platter  it  shall  be,"  said  the  man ;  "  but  what 
have  you  in  your  knapsack  ?  " 

"  Muck,"  said  Peter. 

"  Muck  it  shall  be,"  said  the  man,  and  they  parted. 

So  Peter  strode  on  till  he  came  to  a  grove  of  oaks, 
and  then  he  fell  to  chopping  and  carpentering ;  but  for 
all  his  hewing  and  all  his  carpentering  he  could  turn 
out  nothing  but  platter  after  platter.  So  when  it  got 
towards  mid-day  he  was  going  to  take  a  snack,  and 
opened  his  wallet.  But  there  was  not  a  morsel  of  food 
in  it ;  and  as  he  had  nothing  to  eat,  and  did  not  get  on 
any  better  with  the  carpentering,  he  got  weary  of  the 
work,  and  took  his  axe  and  wallet  on  his  back,  and  strode 
off  home  to  his  mother  again. 

Next  Paul  was  for  setting  off  to  try  if  he  had  any 
luck  in  shipbuilding,  and  could  win  the  king's  daughter 
and  half  the  kingdom.     He,  too,  begged  his  mother 


Boots  and  his  Crew  343 

for  food ;  and  when  he  had  got  it,  he  threw  his  wallet 
over  his  shoulder  and  set  off  from  their  farm.  On 
the  way  he  met  an  old  man,  who  was  so  bent  and 
wretched. 

"  Whither  away  ?  "  said  the  man. 

"Oh,  I'm  just  going  to  the  wood  to  make  a  pig 
trough  for  our  little  pig,"  said  Paul. 

"A  pig  trough  it  shall  be,"  said  the  man. 

"What  have  you  got  in  your  wallet?"  asked  the 
man. 

"  Muck,"  said  Paul. 

"  Muck  it  shall  be,"  said  the  man. 

So  Paul  trudged  off  to  the  wood,  and  fell  to  hewing 
and  carpentering  as  hard  as  he  could ;  but  however 
he  hewed  and  however  he  carpentered,  he  could  turn 
out  nothing  but  pig  troughs  and  pig  tubs.  Still  he 
wouldn't  give  in,  but  worked  till  far  on  in  the  afternoon 
before  he  thought  of  taking  a  little  snack  ;  then  he  got 
so  hungry  all  at  once  that  he  must  take  out  his  knap- 
sack, but  when  he  opened  it  there  was  not  a  morsel 
of  food  in  it. 

Then  Paul  got  so  cross  that  he  rolled  up  the  knap- 
sack and  dashed  it  against  a  stump,  and  then  he 
shouldered  his  axe,  and  trudged  away  home  from  the 
wood  as  fast  as  he  could. 

So  when  Paul  had  come  home,  Boots  was  all  for 
setting  out  in  his  turn,  and  begged  his  mother  for 
food. 

"  Maybe  I  might  be  man  enough  to  get  the  ship 
built,  and  win  the  princess  and  half  the  kingdom." 
That  was  what  he  said. 

"Yes,  yes,  a  likely  thing,"  said  his  mother.    "You 


344 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


look  like  winning  the  princess  and  the  kingdom,  that 
you  do,  by  my  troth ;  you,  who  have  done  naught  else 
than  grub  and  poke  about  in  the  ashes.  No,  no,  you 
don't  get  any  food,"  said  the  goody. 

But  Boots  would  not  give  in ;  he  begged  so  long, 
that  at  last  he  got  leave.  As  for  food,  he  got  none ; 
was  it  likely  ?  But  he  got  by 
stealth  two  oatcakes  and  a  drop 
of  stale  beer,  and  with  them  he 
trudged  off  from  the  farm. 

Well,  when  he  had  walked  a 
while  he  met  the  same  old  man, 
who  was  so  bent  and  vile  and 
wretched. 

"Whither  away?"  asked  the 
man. 

"Oh,  I'm  going  into  the  wood 

to  build  me  a  ship  which  will  go 

as  well  on  land  as   on   sea;   for 

you    must    know    that    the    king 

has   given   out   that   the   man  who   can   build   such  a 

ship  shall  have  the  princess  and  half  the  realm." 

"  What  have  you  got  in  your  wallet  ?  "  asked  the  man. 
"Not  much  to  brag  of,"  said   Boots,   "though   it's 
called  travelling  fare." 

"  If  you'll  give  me  some  of  your  food,  I'll  help  you," 
said  the  man. 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  said  Boots ;  "  but  there's  nothing 
but  two  oatcakes  and  a  drop  of  stale  beer." 

It  was  all  the  same  to  him  what  it  was,  said  the 
man,  so  that  he  got  something;  and  he  would  be  sure 
to  help  him. 


Boots  and  his  Crew  345 

So  when  they  got  up  to  the  old  oak  in  the  wood,  the 
man  said  to  the  lad — 

"  Now  you  must  chop  out  one  chip,  and  you  must 
put  it  back  where  it  came  from,  and  when  you  have 
done  that  you  may  lie  down  and  sleep. 

Yes ;  Boots  did  as  he  said ;  he  laid  him  down  to 
sleep,  and  in  his  slumber  he  thought  he  heard  some 
one  hewing  and  hammering,  and  carpentering,  and 
sawing,  and  planing,  but  he  could  not  wake  up  till 
the  man  called  him,  and  then  there  stood  the  ship  all 
ready  alongside  the  oak. 

"  Now  you  must  go  aboard  her,  and  every  one  you 
meet  you  must  take  as  one  of  your  crew,"  he  said. 

Yes ;  Boots  thanked  him  for  the  ship,  and  sailed  off, 
saying  he'd  be  sure  to  do  what  he  said. 

So  when  he  had  sailed  a  while,  he  came  upon  a 
great,  long,  thin  fellow,  who  lay  away  by  the  hillside 
and  ate  granite. 

"What  kind  of  chap  are  you,"  said  Boots,  "that 
you  lie  here  eating  granite  ?  " 

Well,  he  was  so  sharp  set  for  meat  he  could  never 
have  his  fill,  and  that  was  why  he  was  forced  to  eat 
granite.  That  was  what  he  said ;  and  then  he  begged 
if  he  might  have  leave  to  be  one  of  the  ship's  company. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  said  Boots ;  "  if  you  care  to  come,  step  on 
board." 

Yes,  he  was  willing  enough,  and  he  took  with  him  a 
few  big  granite  boulders  as  his  sea  stores. 

So  when  they  had  sailed  a  bit  farther  they  met  a 
man  who  lay  on  a  sunny  brae  and  sucked  at  a  tap. 

"  What  sort  of  a  chap  are  you  ?  "  asked  Boots,  "  and 
what  good  is  it  that  you  lie  there  sucking  at  that  tap  ?  " 


346 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


"  Oh,"  said  he,  "  when  one  hasn't  got  the  cask,  one 
must  be  thankful  for  the  tap.  I  am  always  so  thirsty 
for  ale,  that  I  can  never  drink  enough  ale  or  wine ; " 
and  then  he  asked  if  he  might  have  leave  to  be  one 
of  the  ship's  company. 

"  If  you  care  to  come,  step  on  board,"  said  Boots. 

Yes,  he  was  willing  enough, 
and  he  stepped  on  board  and 
took  the  tap  with  him  lest  he 
should  be  a-thirst. 

So  when  they  had  sailed 
a  bit  farther  they  met  one 
who  lay  with  one  ear  on  the 
ground  listening. 

"  What  sort  of  a  chap  are 
you?"  asked  Boots;  "and 
what  good  is  it  that  you 
lie  there  on  the  ground  list- 
ening? " 

"  I    am    listening    to    the 
grass  growing,"  he  said,  "  for 
I  am  so  quick  of  hearing  that 
I  can  hear  it  grow ;  "  and  so 
he  begged  that  he  might  be 
one  of  the  ship's  company. 
Well,  he  too  did  not  get  "  Nay." 
"  If  you  care  to  come,  step  on  board,"  said  Boots. 
Yes,  he    was  willing    enough,  and    so   up  he,  too, 
stepped  into  the  ship. 

So  when  they  had  sailed  a  bit  farther,  they  came  to 
a  man  who  stood  aiming  and  aiming. 

"  What   sort   of   a   chap    are    you  ? "   said    Boots ; 


Boots  and  his  Crew  347 

"and  why  is  it  that  you  stand  there  aiming  and 
aiming  ?  " 

"  I  am  so  sharp-sighted,"  he  said,  "  that  I'm  a  dead 
shot  up  to  the  world's  end  ; "  and  so  he,  too,  asked  if  he 
might  have  leave  to  be  one  of  the  ship's  company. 

"  If  you  care  to  come,  step  in,"  said  Boots. 

Yes,  he  was  willing  enough,  and  so  he  stepped  up 
into  the  ship  and  joined  Boots  and  his  comrades. 

So  when  they  had  sailed  a  bit  farther,  they  came  on 
a  man  who  went  about  hopping  on  one  leg,  and  on  the 
other  he  had  seven  hundredweight. 

"  What  sort  of  a  chap  are  you  ?  "  asked  Boots ;  "  and 
what's  the  good  of  your  limping  and  hopping  on  one 
leg,  with  seven  hundredweight  on  the  other  ?  " 

"  Oh,"  said  he,  "  I'm  as  light  as  a  feather,  and  if  I 
went  on  both  legs  I  should  be  at  the  world's  end  in 
less  than  five  minutes ; "  and  so  he,  too,  begged  if  he 
might  have  leave  to  be  one  of  the  ship's  company. 

u  It  you  care  to  come,  step  in,"  said  Boots. 

Yes,  he  was  willing  enough,  and  he  stepped  on 
board  to  Boots  and  his  comrades. 

So  when  they  had  sailed  a  bit  farther,  they  met  a 
man  who  stood  holding  his  throat. 

"  What  sort  of  a  chap  are  you  ?  "  asked  Boots ;  "  and 
why  in  the  world  do  you  stand  here  holding  your 
throat  ?  " 

"Oh,"  said  he,  "you  must  know  I  have  got  seven 
summers  and  fifteen  winters  inside  me,  so  I've  good 
need  to  hold  my  gullet,  for  if  they  all  slipped  out  at 
once  they'd  freeze  the  whole  world  in  a  trice."  That 
was  what  he  said,  and  so  he  begged  leave  to  be  with 
them. 


348  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"  If  you  care  to  come,  step  in,"  said  Boots. 

Yes,  he  was  willing  enough,  and  so  he,  too,  stepped 
on  board  the  ship  to  the  rest. 

So  when  they  had  sailed  a  good  bit  farther,  they 
came  to  the  king's  grange.  Then  Boots  strode  straight 
into  the  king,  and  said  that  the  ship  was  ready  out 
in  the  courtyard,  and  now  he  was  come  to  claim  the 
princess,  as  the  king  had  given  his  word. 

But  the  king  wouldn't  hear  of  it,  for  Boots  did  not 
look  very  nice ;  he  was  grimy  and  sooty,  and  the  king 
was  loath  to  give  his  daughter  to  such  a  fellow.  So  he 
said  he  must  wait  a  little  ;  he  couldn't  have  the  princess 
until  they  cleared  a  barn  which  the  king  had  with  three 
hundred  casks  of  salt  meat  in  it. 

"All  the  same,"  said  the  king,  "if  you  can  do  it  by 
this  time  to-morrow,  you  shall  have  her." 

"  I  can  but  try,"  said  Boots ;  "  I  may  have  leave, 
perhaps,  to  take  one  of  my  crew  with  me  ?  " 

Yes,  he  might  have  leave  to  do  that,  even  if  he 
took  them  all  six,  said  the  king ;  for  he  thought  it  quite 
beyond  his  power,  though  he  had  six  hundred  to  help 
him. 

But  Boots  only  took  with  him  the  man  who  ate 
granite,  and  was  always  so  sharp  set ;  and  so  when 
they  came  next  morning  and  unlocked  the  barn,  if  he 
hadn't  eaten  all  the  casks,  so  that  there  was  nothing 
left  but  half-a-dozen  spare-ribs,  and  that  was  only  one 
for  each  of  his  other  comrades.  So  Boots  strode  in  to 
the  king,  and  said  now  the  barn  was  empty,  and  now 
he  might  have  the  princess. 

Then  the  king  went  out  to  the  barn,  and  empty  it 
was,  that  was  plain  enough;  but  still  Boots  was  so 


Boots  and  his  Crew  349 

sooty  and  smutty,  that  the  king  thought  it  a  shame 
that  such  a  fellow  should  have  his  daughter.  So  he 
said  he  had  a  cellar  full  of  ale  and  old  wine,  three 
hundred  casks  of  each  kind,  which  he  must  have  drunk 
out  first,  and  said  the  king — 

"  All  the  same,  if  you  are  man  enough  to  drink  them 
out  by  this  time  to-morrow,  you  shall  have  her." 

"  I  can  but  try,"  said  Boots  ;  "  but  I  may  have  leave, 
perhaps,  to  take  one  of  my  comrades  with  me." 

"With  all  my  heart,"  said  the  king,  who  thought  he 
had  so  much  ale  and  wine  that  the  whole  seven  of  them 
would  soon  get  more  than  their  skins  could  hold. 

But  Boots  only  took  with  him  the  man  who  sucked 
the  tap,  and  who  had  such  a  swallow  for  ale,  and  then 
the  king  locked  them  both  up  in  the  cellar. 

So  he  drunk  cask  after  cask  as  long  as  there  were 
any  left,  but  at  last  he  spared  a  drop  or  two,  about  as 
much  as  a  quart  or  two,  for  each  of  his  comrades. 
Next  morning  they  unlocked  the  cellar,  and  Boots 
strode  off  at  once  to  the  king,  and  said  he  was  done 
with  the  ale  and  wine,  and  now  he  must  have  his 
daughter  as  he  had  given  his  word. 

"  Ay,  ay !  but  I  must  first  go  down  into  the  cellar 
and  see,"  said  the  king,  for  he  didn't  believe  it.  But 
when  he  got  to  the  cellar,  there  was  nothing  in  it  but 
empty  casks.  But  Boots  was  still  black  and  smutty, 
and  the  king  thought  he  never  could  bear  to  have  such 
a  fellow  for  his  son-in-law.  So  he  said,  "  No ; "  but  all 
the  same,  if  he  could  fetch  him  water  from  the  world's 
end  in  ten  minutes  for  the  princess's  tea,  he  should 
have  both  her  and  half  the  realm ;  for  he  thought  that 
quite  out  of  his  power. 


350  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"  I  can  but  try,"  said  Boots  ;  so  he  laid  hand  on  him 
who  limped  on  one  leg  with  seven  hundredweight  on 
the  other,  and  said  he  must  unbuckle  the  weights,  and 
use  both  his  legs  as  fast  as  ever  he  could  ;  for  he  must 
have  water  from  the  world's  end  for  the  princess's  tea 
in  ten  minutes. 

So  he  took  off  the  weights,  and  got  a  pail,  and  set 
off,  and  was  out  of  sight  in  a  trice.  But  time  went  on 
and  on,  for  seven  lengths  and  seven  breadths,  and  yet 
he  did  not  come  back.  At  last  there  were  no  more 
than  three  minutes  left  till  the  time  was  up,  and  the 
king  was  as  pleased  as  though  some  one  had  given 
him  a  horse.  But  just  then  Boots  bawled  out  to  him 
who  heard  the  grass  grow,  and  bade  him  listen  and 
hear  what  had  become  of  him. 

"  He  has  fallen  asleep  at  the  well,"  he  said.  "  I  can 
hear  him  snoring,  and  the  Trolls  are  combing  his  hair." 

So  Boots  called  him  who  could  shoot  to  the  world's 
end,  and  bade  him  put  a  bullet  into  the  Troll.  Yes, 
he  did  that,  and  shot  him  right  in  the  eye,  and  the 
Troll  set  up  such  a  howl  that  he  woke  up  at  once  him 
that  was  to  fetch  the  water  for  tea;  and  when  he  got 
back  to  the  king's  grange,  there  was  still  one  minute 
left  of  the  ten. 

Then  Boots  strode  into  the  king,  and  said  there  was 
the  water,  and  now  he  must  have  the  princess,  there 
must  be  no  words  about  it.  But  more  the  king  thought 
him  just  as  sooty  and  smutty  as  before,  and  did  not 
at  all  like  to  have  him  for  a  son-in-law.  So  the  king 
said  he  had  three  hundred  fathoms  of  wood,  with 
which  he  was  about  to  dry  corn  in  the  malt-house, 
and  "all  the  same,   if  you  are  man  enough   to  get 


Boots  and  his  Crew  351 

inside  it  while  I  burn  up  all  that  fuel,  you  shall  have 
her,  and  I  will  make  no  more  bones  about  it." 

"  I  can  but  try,"  said  Boots ;  "  but  I  must  have  leave 
to  take  one  of  my  crew  with  me." 

"Yes,  yes,"  said  the  king,  "all  six  of  them  if  you 
like ; "  for  he  thought  it  would  be  warm  enough  in 
there  for  all  of  them. 

But  Boots  took  with  him  the  man  who  had  fifteen 
winters  and  seven  summers  inside  him,  and  they 
trudged  off  to  the  malt-house  at  night.  But  the  king 
had  laid  the  fuel  on  thick,  and  there  was  such  a 
pne  burning,  it  almost  melted  the  stove.  Out  again 
they  could  not  come,  for  they  had  scarce  set  foot 
inside  than  the  king  shot  the  bolt  behind  them,  and 
hung  two  padlocks  on  the  door  besides.  Then  Boots 
said — 

"You'd  better  slip  out  six  or  seven  winters  at  once, 
so  that  it  may  be  a  nice  summer  heat." 

Then  the  heat  fell,  and  they  could  bear  it,  but  on  in 
the  night  it  began  to  grow  chilly;  so  Boots  said  he 
must  make  it  milder  with  two  summers,  and  then  they 
slept  till  far  on  next  day. 

But  when  they  heard  the  king  rattling  at  the  door 
outside,  Boots  said — 

"  Now  you  must  let  slip  two  more  winters,  but  lay 
them  so  that  the  last  may  go  full  on  his  face." 

Yes,  he  did  so;  and  when  the  king  unlocked  the 
malt-house  door,  and  thought  to  find  them  lying  there 
burnt  to  cinders,  there  they  sat  shivering  and  shaking 
till  their  teeth  chattered,  and  the  man  with  the  fifteen 
winters  let  slip  the  last  right  into  the  king's  face,  so 
that  it  swelled  ud  at  once  into  a  big  frost-bite. 


352  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"MAY  I  HAVE  YOUR  DAUGHTER  NOW?"  Said 
Boots. 

•  '  Yes,  yes ;  pray  take  her  and  keep  her,  and  half 
the  realm  besides,"  said  the  king,  for  he  couldn't  say 
"No"  any  longer. 

So  they  held  the  bridal  feast,  and  kept  it  up  and 
rejoiced  and  fired  off  witch-shots,  and  meanwhile  they 
went  looking  about  for  charges  ;  and  then  they  took  me 
and  gave  me  porridge  in  a  flask  and  milk  in  a  basket, 
and  then  they  shot  me  off  here  to  you,  that  I  might 
tell  you  all  how  the  wedding  went  off. 


The  Town-Mouse  and  the 
Fell-Mouse 


NCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  fell- 
mouse  and  a  town-mouse,  and 
they  met  on  a  hill  brae,  where 
the  fell -mouse  sat  in  a  hazel 
thicket  and  plucked  nuts. 

"God  help   you!   sister,"    said 
the    town-mouse.     "Do    I    meet 
my  kinsfolk  here  so  far  out  in  the  country  ?  " 
"Yes,  so  it  is,"  said  the  fell-mouse. 
"You  gather  these  nuts  and   carry  them  to  your 
house  ?  "  said  the  town-mouse. 

"Yes,  I  must  do  it,"  said  the  fell-mouse,  "  if  we  are 
to  have  anything  to  live  on." 

"The  husks  are  long  and  the  kernels  full  this  year," 
said  the  town-mouse,  "so  I  dare  say  they  will  help 
to  fill  out  a  starveling  body." 

"You  are  quite  right,"  said  the  fell-mouse;  and  then 
she  told  her  how  well  and  happily  she  lived.  But  the 
town-mouse  thought  she  was  better  off;  and  the  fell- 
mouse  would  not  give  in,  but  said  there  was  no  place 
so  good  as  wood  and  fell,  and  as  for  herself,  she  had 
far  the  best  of  it. 

3S3  Z 


354  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

Still  the  town-mouse  said  she  was  sure  she  had  the 
best  of  it,  and  they  could  not  agree  at  all.  So  at  last 
they  promised  to  pay  one  another  a  visit  at  Yule,  that 
they  might  taste  and  see  which  lived  best.  The  town- 
mouse  was  the  one  that  had  to  pay  the  first  visit,  and 
she  went  through  woods  and  deep  dales  ;  for  though 
the  fell-mouse  had  come  down  to  the  lowlands  for  the 
winter,  the  road  was  both  long  and  heavy.  It  was 
uphill  work,  and  the  snow  was  both  deep  and  soft, 
so  that  she  was  both  weary  and  hungry  by  the  time 
she  got  to  her  journey's  end. 

"  Now  I  shall  be  glad  to  get  some  food,"  she  said, 
when  she  got  there.  As  for  the  fell-mouse,  she  had 
scraped  together  all  sorts  of  good  things.  There  were 
kernels  of  nuts,  and  liquorice-root  and  other  roots, 
and  much  else  that  grows  in  wood  and  field.  All 
this  she  had  in  a  hole  deep  under-ground  where  it 
would  not  freeze,  and  close  by  was  a  spring  which  was 
open  all  the  winter,  so  that  she  could  drink  as  much 
water  as  she  chose.  There  was  plenty  of  what  was 
to  be  had,  and  they  fed  both  well  and  good ;  but  the 
town-mouse  thought  it  was  not  more  than  sorry  fare. 

"  One  can  keep  life  together  with  this,"  she  said ; 
"  but  it  isn't  choice,  not  at  all.  But  now  you  must  be 
so  kind  as  come  to  me,  and  taste  what  we  have  in 
town." 

Well,  the  fell-mouse  was  willing,  and  it  was  not 
long  before  she  came.  Then  the  town-mouse  had 
gathered  together  something  of  all  the  Christmas  fare 
which  the  mistress  of  the  house  had  dropped  as  she 
went  about,  when  she  had  taken  a  drop  too  much  at 
Yule.     There  were  bits  of  cheese,  and  odds  and  ends 


The  Town-Mouse  and  the  Fell-Mouse     355 

of  butter  and  tallow,  and  cheese-cakes  and  tipsy-cake, 
and  much  else  that  was  nice.  In  the  jar  under  the 
ale-tap  she  had  drink  enough,  and  the  whole  room  was 
full  of  all  kinds  of  dainties.  They  fed  and  lived  well, 
and  there  was  no  end  to  the  fell-mouse's  greediness. 
Such  fare  she  had  never  tasted.  At  last  she  got 
thirsty,  for  the  food  was  both  strong  and  rich,  and 
now  she  must  have  a  drink  of  water. 

"It  is  not  far  off  to  the  ale,"  said  the  town-mouse; 
"that's  the  drink  for  us;"  and  with  that  she  jumped 
up  on  the  edge  of  the  jar,  and  drank  her  thirst  out; 
but  she  drank  no  more  than  she  could  carry,  for  she 
knew  the  Yule  ale,  and  how  strong  it  was.  But  as  for 
the  fell-mouse,  she  thought  it  famous  drink,  for  she 
had  never  tasted  anything  but  water,  and  now  she 
took  sip  after  sip ;  but  she  was  no  judge  of  strong 
drink,  and  so  the  end  was  she  got  drunk,  for  she 
tumbled  down  and  got  wild  in  her  head,  and  felt  her 
feet  tingle,  till  she  began  to  run  and  to  jump  about 
from  one  beer-barrel  to  the  other,  and  to  dance  and 
cut  capers  on  the  shelves  among  the  cups  and  jugs, 
and  to  whistle  and  whine,  just  as  though  she  were 
tipsy  and  silly ;  and  tipsy  she  was,  there  was  no  gain- 
saying it. 

"You  mustn't  behave  as  though  you  had  just  come 
from  the  hills,"  said  the  town-mouse.  "  Don't  make 
such  a  noise,  and  don't  lead  us  such  a  life ;  we  have  a 
hard  master  here." 

But  the  fell-mouse  said  she  cared  not  a  pin  for  man 
or  master. 

But  all  this  while  the  cat  sat  up  on  the  trap-door 
above  the  cellar,  and  listened  and  spied  both  to  their 


356  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

talk  and  pranks.  Just  then  the  goody  came  down  to 
draw  a  mug  of  ale,  and,  as  she  lifted  the  trap-door, 
the  cat  stole  into  the  cellar  and  fixed  her  claws  into 
the  fell-mouse.  Then  there  was  another  dance.  The 
town-mouse  crept  into  her  hole,  and  sat  safe  looking 
on  ;  but  the  fell-mouse  got  sober  all  at  once,  as  soon  as 
she  felt  the  cat's  claws. 

"Oh,  my  dear  master,  my  dear  master!  be  merciful 
and  spare  my  life,  and  I'll  tell  you  a  story."  That  was 
what  she  said. 

"  Out  with  it,  then,"  said  the  cat. 

"  Once  on  a  time  there  were  two  small  mice,"  said 
the  fell-mouse;  and  she  squeaked  so  pitifully  and 
slowly,  for  she  wanted  to  drag  the  story  out  as  long 
as  she  could. 

"Then  they  were  not  alone,"  said  the  cat,  both 
sharply  and  drily. 

"  And  so  we  had  a  steak  we  were  going  to  cook." 

"Then  you  were  not  starved,"  said  the  cat. 

"  So  we  put  it  up  on  the  roof  that  it  might  cool  itself 
well,"  said  the  fell-mouse. 

"Then  you  didn't  burn  your  tongues,"  said  the 
cat. 

"  So  then  the  fox  and  the  crow  came  and  gobbled 
it  up,"  said  the  fell-mouse. 

"  And  so  I'll  gobble  you  up,"  said  the  cat. 

But  just  then  the  goody  slammed  to  the  trap-door 
again,  so  that  the  cat  got  afraid  and  loosed  her  hold, 
and  pop !  the  fell-mouse  was  away  in  the  town- 
mouse's  hole,  and  from  it  there  was  a  way  out  into 
the  snow,  and  the  fell-mouse  was  not  slow  in  setting 
off  home. 


The  Town-Mouse  and  the  Fell-Mouse     357 

"This  you  call  living  well,  and  you  say  that  you 
live  best  ?  "  she  said  to  the  town-mouse.  "  Heaven 
help  me  to  a  better  mind !  for  with  such  a  big  house, 
and  such  a  hawk  for  a  master,  I  could  scarce  get  off 
with  my  life." 


Silly    Matt 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  goody  who  had  a 
son  called  Matthew ;  but  he  was  so  stupid,  that 
he   had   no  sense   for  anything,  nor  would  he 
do    much  either;    and    the    little   he  did   was  always 
topsy-turvy  and  never  right,  and  so  they  never  called 
him  anything  but  "  Silly  Matt." 

All  this  the  goody  thought  bad  ; 
and  it  was  still  worse,  she  thought, 
that  her  son  idled  about  and  never 
turned  his  hand  to  anything  else 
than  yawning  and  stretching  him- 
self between  the  four  walls. 

Now  close  to  where  they  lived 
ran  a  great  river,  and  the  stream 
was  strong  and  bad  to  cross.  So, 
one  day,  the  goody  said  to  the 
lad,  that  as  there  was  no  lack  of 
timber  there,  for  it  grew  almost 
up  to  the  cottage-wall,  he  must 
cut  some  down  and  drag  it  to 
the  bank  and  try  to  build  a  bridge 
over  the  river  and  take  toll,  and  then  he  would 
both  have  something  to  do  and  something  to  live  upon 

besides. 

358 


Silly  Matt  359 

Yes,  Matt  thought  so  too,  for  his  mother  had  said 
it ;  what  she  begged  him  do,  he  would  do.  That 
was  safe  and  sure,  he  said,  for  what  she  said  must 
be  so,  and  not  otherwise.  So  he  hewed  down  timber, 
and  dragged  it  down  and  built  a  bridge.  It  didn't 
go  so  awfully  fast  with  the  work,  but  at  any  rate, 
he  had  his  hands  full  while  it  went  on. 

When  the  bridge  was  ready,  the  lad  was  to  stand 
down  at  its  end  and  take  toll  of  those  who  wanted  to 
cross,  and  his  mother  bade  him  be  sure  not  to  let  any 
one  over  unless  they  paid  the  toll.  It  was  all  the 
same,  she  said,  if  it  were  not  always  in  money.  Goods 
and  wares  were  just  as  good  pay. 

So  the  first  day  came  three  chaps  with  each  his  load 
of  hay,  and  wanted  to  cross  the  bridge. 

"  No,  no,"  said  the  lad,  "  you  can't  go  over  till  I've 
taken  the  toll." 

"  We've  nothing  to  pay  it  with,"  they  said. 

"Well,  then,  you  can't  cross;  but  it's  all  the  same, 
if  it  isn't  money;  goods  will  do  just  as  well." 

So  they  gave  him  each  a  wisp  of  hay,  and  he  had 
as  much  as  would  go  on  a  little  hand-sledge,  and  then 
they  had  leave  to  pass  over  the  bridge. 

Next  came  a  pedlar  with  his  pack,  who  sold  needles 
and  thread  and  such  like  small  wares,  and  he  wanted 
to  cross. 

"  You  can't  cross  till  you  have  paid  the  toll,"  said 
the  lad. 

"  I've  nothing  to  pay  it  with,"  said  the  pedlar. 

"You  have  wares,  at  any  rate." 

So  the  pedlar  took  out  two  needles  and  gave  them 
him,  and  then  he  had  leave  to  cross  the  bridge.     As 


360  Tales  from  the  Fjefd 

for  the  needles,  the  lad  stuck  them  into  the  hay,  and 
soon  set  off  home. 

So  when  he  got  home,  he  said,  "  Now,  I  have  taken 
the  toll,  and  got  something  to  live  on." 

"  What  did  you  get  ?  "  asked  the  goody. 

"Oh,"  said  he,  "  there  came  three  chaps,  each  with 
his  load  of  hay.  They  each  gave  me  a  wisp  of  hay,  so 
that  I  got  a  little  sledge-load ;  and  next,  I  got  two 
needles  from  a  pedlar." 

"  What  did  you  do  with  the  hay  ? "  asked  the 
goody. 

"  I  tried  it  between  my  teeth ;  but  it  tasted  only  of 
grass,  so  I  threw  it  into  the  river." 

"You  ought  to  have  spread  it  out  on  the  byre-floor," 
said  the  goody. 

"  Well,  I'll  do  that  next  time,  mother,"  he  said. 

"  And  what,  then,  did  you  do  with  the  needles  ?  "  said 
the  goody. 

"  I  stuck  them  in  the  hay." 

"Ah!"  said  his  mother,  "you  are  a  born  fool. 
You  should  have  stuck  them  in  and  out  of  your  cap." 

"Well,  don't  say  another  word,  mother,  and  I'll  be 
sure  to  do  so  next  time." 

Next  day,  when  the  lad  stood  down  at  the  foot  of 
the  bridge  again,  there  came  a  man  from  the  mill  with 
a  sack  of  meal,  and  wanted  to  cross. 

"  You  can't  cross  till  you  pay  the  toll,"  said  the 
lad. 

"  I've  no  pence  to  pay  it  with,"  said  the  man. 

"  Well,  you  can't  cross,"  said  the  lad ;  "  but  goods 
are  good  pay."  So  he  got  a  pound  of  meal,  and  the 
man  had  leave  to  cross. 


Silly  Matt  361 


Not  long  after  came  a  smith  with  a  horse-pack  of 
smith's  work,  and  wanted  to  cross ;  but  it  was  still  the 
same. 

"You  mustn't  cross  till  you've  paid  the  toll,"  said 
the  lad.  But  he,  too,  had  no  money  either ;  so  he 
gave  the  lad  a  gimlet,  and  then  he  had  leave  to 
cross. 

So  when  the  lad  got  home  to  his  mother,  the  toll 
was  the  first  thing  she  asked  about. 

"  What  did  you  take  for  toll  to-day  ?  " 

"  Oh,  there  came  a  man  from  the  mill  with  a  sack 
of  meal,  and  he  gave  me  a  pound  of  meal ;  and  then 
came  a  smith,  with  a  horse-load  of  smith's-work,  and 
he  gave  me  a  gimlet." 

"  And  pray,  what  did  you  do  with  the  gimlet  ? " 
asked  the  goody. 

"  I  did  as  you  bade  me,  mother,"  said  the  lad ;  "  I 
stuck  it  in  and  out  of  my  cap." 

"Oh,  but  that  was  silly,"  said  the  goody;  "you 
oughtn't  to  have  stuck  it  out  and  in  your  cap ;  but  you 
should  have  stuck  it  up  your  shirt-sleeve." 

"  Ay,  ay !  only  be  still,  mother,  and  I'll  be  sure  to 
do  it  next  time." 

"And  what  did  you  do  with  the  meal,  I'd  like  to 
know  ?  "  said  the  goody. 

"  Oh,  I  did  as  you  bade  me,  mother ;  I  spread  it 
over  the  byre-floor." 

"  Never  heard  anything  so  silly  in  my  born  days," 
said  the  goody.  "  Why,  you  ought  to  have  gone  home 
for  a  pail  and  put  it  into  it." 

"Well,  well!  only  be  still,  mother,"  said  the  lad, 
"  and  I'll  be  sure  to  do  it  next  time." 


362  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

Next  day  the  lad  was  down  at  the  foot  of  the  bridge 
to  take  toll,  and  so  there  came  a  man  with  a  horse-load 
of  brandy,  and  wanted  to  cross. 

"  You  can't  cross  till  you  pay  the  toll,"  said  the  lad. 

"I've  got  no  money,"  said  the  man. 

"Well,  then,  you  can't  cross;  but  you  have  goods, 
of  course,"  said  the  lad.  Yes;  so  he  got  half  a  quart 
of  brandy,  and  that  he  poured  up  his  shirt-sleeve. 

A  while  after  came  a  man  with  a  drove  of  goats,  and 
wanted  to  cross  the  bridge. 

"You  can't  cross  till  you  pay  the  toll,"  said  the  lad. 

Well,  he  was  no  richer  than  the  rest.  He  had  no 
money ;  but  still  he  gave  the  lad  a  little  billy-goat, 
and  he  got  over  with  his  drove.  But  the  lad  took  the 
goat  and  trod  it  down  into  a  bucket  he  had  brought 
with  him.  So  when  he  got  home,  the  goody  asked 
again — 

"  What  did  you  take  to-day  ?  " 

"  Oh,  there  came  a  man  with  a  load  of  brandy,  and 
from  him  I  got  a  pint  of  brandy." 

"  And  what  did  you  do  with  it  ?  " 

"  I  did  as  you  bade  me,  mother;  I  poured  it  up  my 
shirt-sleeve." 

"Ay!  but  that  was  silly,  my  son;  you  should  have 
come  home  to  fetch  a  bottle  and  poured  it  into  it." 

"  Well,  well !  be  still  this  time,  mother,  and  I'll  be 
sure  to  do  what  you  say  next  time  ;  "  and  then  he  went 
on,  "  Next  came  a  man  with  a  drove  of  goats,  and  he 
gave  me  a  little  billy-goat,  and  that  I  trod  down  into 
the  bucket." 

"  Dear  me,"  said  his  mother,  "  that  was  silly,  and 
sillier  than  silly,  my  son ;  you  should  have  twisted  a 


Silly  Matt  363 

withy  round  its  neck,  and  led  the  billy-goat  home 
by  it." 

"Well,  be  still,  mother,  and  see  if  I  don't  do  as  you 
say  next  time." 

Next  day  he  set  off  for  the  bridge  again  to  take  toll, 
and  so  a  man  came  with  a  load  of  butter,  and  wanted 
to  cross.  But  the  lad  said  he  couldn't  cross  unless 
he  paid  toll. 

"  I've  nothing  to  pay  it  with,"  said  the  man. 

"  Well,  then,  you  can't  cross,"  said  the  lad ;  "  but 
you  have  goods,  and  I'll  take  them  instead  of  money." 

So  the  man  gave  him  a  pat  of  butter,  and  then  he  had 
leave  to  cross  the  bridge ;  and  the  lad  strode  off  to  a 
grove  of  willows,  and  twisted  a  withy,  and  twined  it 
round  the  butter,  and  dragged  it  home  along  the  road ; 
but  so  long  as  he  went  he  left  some  of  the  butter 
behind  him,  and  when  he  got  home  there  was  none 
left. 

"  And  what  did  you  take  to-day  ?  "  asked  his  mother. 

"  There  came  a  man  with  a  load  of  butter,  and  he 
gave  me  a  pat." 

"  Butter  !  "  said  the  goody,  "  where  is  it  ?  " 

"  I  did  as  you  bade  me,  mother,"  said  the  lad.  "  I 
tied  a  withy  round  the  pat  and  led  it  home  ;  but  it  was 
all  lost  by  the  way." 

"Oh,"  said  the  goody,  "you  were  born  a  fool,  and 
you'll  die  a  fool.  Now  you  are  not  one  bit  better  off 
for  all  your  toil ;  but  had  you  been  like  other  folk,  you 
might  have  had  both  meat  and  brandy,  and  both  hay 
and  tools.  If  you  don't  know  better  how  to  behave,  I 
don't  know  what's  to  be  done  with  you.  Maybe  you 
might  be  more  like  the  rest  of  the  world,  and  get  some 


3  64  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

sense  into  you,  if  you  were  married  to  some  one  who 
could  settle  things  for  you,  and  so  I  think  you  had 
better  set  off  and  see  about  finding  a  brave  lass ;  but 
you  must  be  sure  you  know  how  to  behave  well  on 
the  way,  and  to  greet  folk  prettily  when  you  meet 
them." 

"And  pray,  what  shall  I  say  to  them?"  asked  the 
lad. 

"To  think  of  your  asking  that,"  said  his  mother. 
"  Why,  of  course,  you  must  bid  them  '  God's  peace.' 
Don't  you  know  that  ?  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  I'll  do  as  you  bid,"  said  the  lad ;  and 
so  he  set  off  on  his  way  to  woo  him  a  wife. 

So,  when  he  had  gone  a  bit  of  the  way  he  met 
Greylegs  the  wolf,  with  her  seven  cubs  ;  and  when  he 
got  so  far  as  to  be  alongside  them,  he  stood  still  and 
greeted  them  with  "  God's  peace ; "  and  when  he  had 
said  that,  he  went  home  again. 

"  I  said  it  all  as  you  bade  me,  mother,"  said  Matt. 

"  And  what  was  that  ?  "  asked  his  mother. 

"  '  God's  peace,' "  said  Matt. 

u  And  pray,  whom  did  you  meet  ?  " 

"  A  she-wolf  with  seven  cubs ;  that  was  all  I  met," 
said  Matt. 

"Ay,  ay!  you  are  like  yourself,"  said  his  mother; 
"so  it  was,  and  so  it  will  ever  be.  Why  in  the  world 
did  you  say  '  God's  peace '  to  a  wolf  ?  You  should 
have  clapped  your  hands  and  said — 'Huf!  huf!  you 
jade  of  a  she-wolf!'  That's  what  you  ought  to  have 
said." 

"Well,  well!  be  still,  mother,"  he  said,  "I'll  be 
sure  to  say  so  another  time ; "  and  with  that  he  strode 


Silly  Matt  365 

off  from  the  farm ;  and  when  he  had  gone  a  bit  on  the 
way,  he  met  a  bridal  train.  So  he  stood  still  when  he 
had  got  well  up  to  the  bride  and  bridegroom,  and 
clapped  his  hands,  and  said,  "Huf!  huf!  you  jade  of 
a  she-wolf!"  After  that  he  went  home  to  his  mother, 
and  said — 

"I  did  as  you  bade  me,  mother;  but  I  got  a  good 
thrashing  for  it,  that  I  did." 

"What  was  it  you  did  ?  "  she  asked. 

"Oh,  I  clapped  my  hands  and  called  out,  'Huf! 
huf!  you  jade  of  a  she-wolf! ' " 

"  And  what  was  it  you  met  ?  " 

"  I  met  a  bridal  train." 

"  Ah  !  you  are  a  fool,  and  always  will  be  a  fool," 
said  his  mother.  "  Why  should  you  say  such  things 
to  a  bridal  train?  You  should  have  said,  'Ride  happily, 
bride  and  bridegroom.' " 

"Well,  well!  see  if  I  don't  say  so  next  time," 
said  the  lad,  and  off  he  went  again. 

So  he  met  a  bear,  who  was  taking  a  ride  on  a  horse, 
and  Matt  waited  till  he  came  alongside  him,  and  then 
he  said,  "  A  happy  ride  to  you,  bride  and  bridegroom," 
and  then  he  went  back  to  his  mother,  and  told  her  how 
he  had  said  what  she  bade  him. 

"  And  pray,  what  was  it  you  said  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  I  said,  '  A  happy  ride  to  you  both,  bride  and 
bridegroom.' " 

"And  whom  did  you  meet  ?" 

"  I  met  a  bear  taking  a  ride  on  a  horse,"  said  Matt. 

"  My  goodness!  what  a  fool  you  are,"  said  his  mother. 
"You  ought  to  have  said,  'To  the  de'il  with  you.' 
That's  what  you  ought  to  have  said." 


366  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"Well,  well,  mother!  I'll  be  sure  to  say  so  next 
time." 

So  he  set  off  again,  and  this  time  he  met  a  funeral ; 
and  when  he  had  come  well  up  to  the  coffin,  he  greeted 
it  and  said,  "  To  the  de'il  with  you  ! "  and  then  he  ran 
home  to  his  mother,  and  told  her  he  had  said  what  she 
bade  him. 

"And  what  was  that?"  she  asked. 

"Oh,  I  said,  'To  the  de'il  with  you."' 

"  And  what  was  it  you  met  ?  " 

"  I  met  a  funeral,"  said  Matt;  "but  I  got  more  kicks 
than  halfpence." 

"You  didn't  get  half  enough,"  said  the  goody. 
"Why,  of  course,  you  ought  to  have  said,  'May  your 
poor  soul  have  mercy.'  That's  what  you  ought  to  have 
said." 

"Ay,  ay,  mother  !  so  I  will  next  time,  only  be  still," 
said  Matt,  and  off  he  went  again. 

So  when  he  had  gone  a  bit  of  the  way  he  fell  on  two 
ugly  gipsies  who  were  skinning  a  dog.  So  when  he 
came  up  to  them  he  greeted  them  and  said,  "  May  your 
poor  soul  have  mercy ; "  and  when  he  had  said  so  he 
went  home  and  told  his  mother  he  had  said  what  she 
bade  him,  but  all  he  got  was  such  a  drubbing  he  could 
scarce  drag  one  leg  after  the  other. 

"  But  what  was  it  you  said  ?  "  asked  the  goody. 

"  '  May  your  poor  soul  have  mercy ; '  that  was  what 
I  said." 

"  And  whom  did  you  meet  ?  " 

"A  pair  of  gipsies  skinning  a  dog,"  he  said. 

"  Well,  well ! "  said  the  goody,  "  there's  no  hope  of 
your  changing ;  you'll  always  be  a  shame  and  sorrow 


Silly  Matt 


367 


to  us  wherever  you  go.  I  never  heard  such  shocking 
words.  But  now,  you  must  set  out  and  take  no  notice 
of  any  one  you  meet,  for  you  must  be  off  to  woo  a  wife ; 
and  see  if  you  can  get  some  one  who  knows  more  of 
the  ways  of  the  world,  and  has  a  better  head  on  her 
shoulders  than  yours.  And  now  you  must  behave 
like  other  folk;  and  if  all 
goes  well,  you  may  bless 
your  stars,  and  bawl  out, 
Hurrah  !  " 

Yes,  the  lad  did  all 
that  his  mother  bade 
him.  He  set  off  and 
wooed  a  lass,  and  she 
thought  he  couldn't  be 
so  bad  a  fellow  after 
all;  and  so  she  said, 
"Yes,  she  would  have 
him." 

When  the  lad  got  home  the  goody  wanted  to  know 
what  his  sweetheart's  name  was  ;  but  he  did  not  know. 
So  the  goody  got  angry,  and  said  he  must  just  set  off 
again,  for  she  would  know  what  the  girl's  name  was. 
So  when  Matt  was  going  home  again  he  had  sense 
enough  to  ask  her  what  she  was  called.  "Well,"  she 
said,  "my  name  is  Solvy ;  but  I  thought  you  knew  it 
already." 

So  Matt  ran  off  home,  and  as  he  went  he  mumbled 

to  himself 

"Solvy,  Solvy, 
Is  my  darling  ! 
Solvy,  Solvy, 
Is  my  darling  1" 


368  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

But  just  as  he  was  running  as  hard  as  he  could  to 
reach  home  before  he  forgot  it,  he  tripped  over  a  tuft 
of  grass,  and  forgot  the  name  again.  So  when  he  got 
on  his  feet  again  he  began  to  search  all  round  the 
hillock,  but  all  he  could  find  was  a  spade.  So  he 
seized  it  and  began  to  dig  and  search  as  hard  as  he 
could,  and  as  he  was  hard  at  it  up  came  an  old  man. 

"  What  are  you  digging  for  ?  "  said  the  man.  "  Have 
you  lost  anything  here  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes !  oh,  yes !  I  have  lost  my  sweetheart's 
name,  and  I  can't  find  it  again." 

"  I  think  her  name  is  Solvy,"  said  the  man. 

"Oh,  yes,  that's  it,"  said  Matt,  and  away  he  ran 
with  the  spade  in  his  hand,  bawling  out— 

"Solvy,  Solvy, 
Is  my  darling  1" 

But  when  he  had  gone  a  little  way  he  called  to  mind 
that  he  had  taken  the  spade,  and  so  he  threw  it  behind 
him,  right  on  to  the  man's  leg.  Then  the  man  began 
to  roar  and  bemoan  himself  as  though  he  had  a  knife 
stuck  in  him ;  and  then  Matt  forgot  the  name  again, 
and  ran  home  as  fast  as  he  could ;  and  when  he  got 
there,  the  first  thing  his  mother  asked  was — 

"  What's  your  sweetheart's  name  ?  " 

But  Matt  was  just  as  wise  as  when  he  set  out,  for  he 
did  not  know  the  name  any  better  the  last  than  the 
first  time. 

"You  are  the  same  big  fool,  that  you  are,';  said  the 
goody.  "You  won't  do  any  better  this  time  either. 
But  now  I'll  just  set  off  myself  and  fetch  the  girl  home 
and   get  you  married.      Meanwhile   you   must   fetch 


Silly  Matt  369 

water  up  to  the  fifth  plank  all  round  the  room,  and 
wash  it,  and  then  you  must  take  a  little  fat  and  a  little 
lean,  and  the  greenest  thing  you  can  find  in  the 
cabbage  garden,  and  boil  them  all  up  together;  and 
when  you  have  done  that  you  must  put  yourself  into 
fine  feather,  and  look  sweet  when  your  lassie  comes, 
and  then  you  may  sit  down  on  the  dresser." 

Yes,  all  that  Matt  thought  he  could  do  very  well. 
He  fetched  water  and  dashed  it  about  the  room  in 
floods ;  but  he  couldn't  get  it  to  stand  above  the  fourth 
plank,  for  when  it  rose  higher  it  ran  out.  So  he  had 
to  leave  off  that  work.  But  now  you  must  know  they 
had  a  dog  whose  name  was  "  Fat,"  and  a  cat  whose 
name  was  "  Lean ; "  both  these  he  took  and  put  into 
the  soup-kettle.  As  for  the  greenest  thing  in  the 
garden,  it  was  a  green  gown  which  the  goody  had 
meant  for  her  daughter-in-law ;  that  he  cut  up  into 
little  bits,  and  away  it  went  into  the  pot;  but  their 
little  pig,  which  was  called  "All,"  he  cooked  by  him- 
self in  the  brewing  tub.  And  when  Matt  had  done  all 
this,  he  laid  hands  on  a  pot  of  treacle  and  a  feather 
pillow.  Then  he  first  of  all  rubbed  himself  all  over 
with  the  treacle,  and  then  he  tore  open  the  pillow  and 
rolled  himself  in  the  feathers,  and  then  he  sat  down  on 
the  dresser  out  in  the  kitchen,  till  his  mother  and  the 
lassie  came. 

Now  the  first  thing  the  goody  missed  when  she  came 
to  her  house  was  the  dog,  for  it  always  used  to  meet 
her  out  of  doors.  The  next  thing  was  the  cat,  for  it 
always  met  her  in  the  porch,  and  when  the  weather 
was  right  down  good  and  the  sun  shone,  she  even 
came  out  into  the  yard,  and  met  her  at  the  garden 

2  A 


37° 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


gate.  Nor  could  she  see  the  green  gown  she  had 
meant  for  her  daughter-in-law  either;  and  her  piggy- 
wiggy,  which  followed  her  grunting  wherever  she  went, 
he  was  not  there  either.  So  she  went  in  to  see  about 
all  this;  but  as  soon  as  ever  she  lifted  the  latch,  out 
poured  the  water  through  the  doorway  like  a  waterfall, 
so  that  they  were  almost  borne  ■  away  by  the  flood, 
both  the  goody  and  the  lassie. 

So  they  had   to  go   round  by   the  back-door,   and 

when  they  got  inside  the 
kitchen  there  sat  that 
figure  of  fun  all  be- 
feathered. 

"Whathaveyoudone?" 
said  the  goody. 

"  I  did  just  as  you  bade 

me,  mother,"  said    Matt. 

"  I  tried  to  get  the  water 

up  to  the  fifth  plank,  but 

as  fast  as  ever  I  poured 

it  in  it  ran  out  again,  and 

so  I  could  only  get  up  as 

high  as  the  fourth  plank." 

"  Well,  well !  but  '  Fat '  and  '  Lean,'  "  said  the  goody, 

who    wished    to    turn    it    off,    "what  have   you   done 

with  them  ?  " 

"  I  did  as  you  bade  me,  mother,"  said  Matt.  "  I 
took  and  put  them  into  the  soup-kettle.  They  both 
scratched  and  bit,  and  they  mewed  and  whined,  and 
Fat  was  strong  and  kicked  against  it ;  but  he  had 
to  go  in  at  last  all  the  same;  and  as  for  'All,'  he's 
cooking  by  himself  in  the  brewing  tub  in  the  brew- 


Silly  Matt  371 

house,  for  there  wasn't  room  for  him  in  the  soup- 
kettle." 

"  But  what  have  you  done  with  that  new  green  gown 
I  meant  for  my  daughter-in-law?  "  said  the  goody,  trying 
to  hide  his  silliness. 

"  Oh,  I  did  as  you  bade  me,  mother.  It  hung  out 
in  the  cabbage-garden,  and  as  it  was  the  greenest  thing 
there,  I  took  it  and  cut  it  up  small,  and  yonder  it  boils 
in  the  soup." 

Away  ran  the  goody  to  the  chimney-corner,  tore  off 
the  pot,  and  turned  it  upside  down  with  all  that  was 
in  it.  Then  she  filled  it  anew,  and  put  it  on  to  boil. 
But  when  she  had  time  to  look  at  Matt  she  was  quite 
shocked. 

"  Why  is  it  you  are  such  a  figure  ?  "  she  cried. 

"  I  did  as  you  bade  me,  mother,"  said  Matt.  "  First 
I  rubbed  myself  all  over  with  treacle  to  make  myself 
sweet  for  my  bride,  and  then  I  tore  open  the  pillow 
and  put  myself  into  fine  feathers." 

Well,  the  goody  turned  it  off  as  well  as  she  could, 
and  picked  off  the  feathers  from  her  son,  and  washed 
him  clean,  and  put  fresh  clothes  on  him. 

So  at  last  they  were  to  have  the  wedding,  but  first 
Matt  was  to  go  to  the  town  and  sell  a  cow  to  buy 
things  for  the  bridal.  The  goody  had  told  him  what 
he  was  to  do,  and  the  beginning  and  end  of  what  she 
said  was,  he  was  to  be  sure  to  get  something  for  the 
cow.  So  when  he  got  to  the  market  with  the  cow, 
and  they  asked  what  he  was  to  have  for  her,  they 
could  get  no  answer  out  of  him  than  that  he  was  to 
have  something  for  her.  So  at  last  came  a  butcher, 
who  begged  him  to  take  the  cow  and  follow  him  home, 


372  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

and  he'd  be  sure  to  give  him  something  for  her.  Yes, 
Matt  went  off  with  the  cow ;  and  when  he  got  to  the 
butcher's  house,  the  butcher  spat  into  the  palm  of 
Matt's  hand,  and  said — 

"  There !  you  have  something  for  your  cow,  but  look 
sharp  after  it." 

So  off  went  Matt  as  carefully  as  if  he  trode  on  eggs, 
holding  his  hand  shut;  but  when  he  had  got  about  as 
far  as  the  cross-road  which  led  to  their  farm,  he  met 
the  parson,  who  came  driving  along. 

"  Open  the  gate  for  me,  my  lad,"  said  the  parson. 

So  the  lad  hastened  to  open  the  gate,  but  in  doing  so 
he  forgot  what  he  had  in  his  palm,  and  took  the  gate 
by  both  hands,  so  that  what  he  got  for  the  cow  was 
left  sticking  on  the  gate.  So  when  he  saw  it  was  gone 
he  got  cross,  and  said  his  reverence  had  taken  some- 
thing from  him. 

But  when  the  parson  asked  him  if  he  had  lost  his 
wits,  and  said  he  had  taken  nothing  from  him,  Matt  got 
so  wroth  he  killed  the  parson  at  a  blow,  and  buried  him 
in  a  bog  by  the  wayside. 

So  when  he  got  home  he  told  his  mother  all  about  it, 
and  she  slaughtered  a  billy-goat,  and  laid  it  where  Matt 
had  laid  the  parson,  but  she  buried  the  parson  in 
another  place.  And  when  she  had  done  that  she  hung 
over  the  fire  a  pot  of  brose,  and  when  it  was  cooked 
s^e  made  Matt  sit  down  in  the  ingle  and  split  matches. 
Meantime  she  went  up  on  the  roof  with  the  pot  and 
poured  the  brose  down  the  chimney,  so  that  it  streamed 
over  her  son. 

Next  day  came  the  sheriff.  So  when  the  sheriff 
asked  him,  Matt  did  not  gainsay  that  he  had  slain  the 


Silly  Matt  373 

parson,  and  more,  he  was  quite  ready  to  show  the 
sheriff  where  he  had  laid  '  his  reverence.'  But  when 
the  sheriff  asked  on  what  day  it  happened,  Matt  said, 
"  It  was  the  day  when  it  rained  brose  over  the  whole 
tvorld." 

So  when  he  got  to  the  spot  where  he  had  buried  the 
parson  the  sheriff  pulled  out  the  billy-goat,  and  asked — 

"  Had  your  parson  horns  ?  " 

Now  when  the  judges  heard  the  story,  they  made  up 
their  minds  that  the  lad  was  quite  out  of  his  wits,  and 
so  he  got  off  scot-free. 

So  after  all  the  bridal  was  to  stand,  and  the  goody 
had  a  long  talk  with  her  son,  and  bade  him  be  sure  to 
behave  prettily  when  they  sat  at  table.  He  was  not  to 
look  too  much  at  the  bride,  but  to  cast  an  eye  at  her 
now  and  then.  Peas  he  might  eat  by  himself,  but  he 
must  share  the  eggs  with  her ;  and  he  was  not  to  lay 
the  leg  bones  by  his  side  on  the  table,  but  to  place  them 
tidily  on  his  plate. 

Yes,  Matt  would  do  all  that,  and  be  did  it  well ;  yes, 
he  did  all  that  his  mother  bade  him,  and  nothing  else. 
First,  he  stole  out  to  the  sheepfold,  and  plucked  the  eyes 
out  of  all  the  sheep  and  goats  he  could  find,  and  took 
them  with  him.  So  when  they  went  to  dinner  he  sat 
with  his  back  to  his  bride ;  but  all  at  once  he  cast  a 
sheep's  eye  at  her,  so  that  it  hit  her  full  in  her  face ; 
and  a  little  while  after  he  cast  another,  and  so  he  went 
on.  As  for  the  eggs,  he  ate  them  all  up  to  his  own 
cheek,  so  that  the  lassie  did  not  get  a  taste ;  but  when 
the  peas  came  he  shared  them  with  her.  And  when 
they  had  eaten  a  while  Matt  put  his  feet  together,  and 
up  on  his  plate  went  his  legs. 


374  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

At  night,  when  they  were  to  go  to  bed,  the  lassie 
was  tired  and  weary,  for  she  thought  it  no  good  to 
have  such  a  fool  for  her  husband.  So  she  said  she 
had  forgotten  something  and  must  go  out  a  little;  but 
she  could  not  get  Matt's  leave,  he  would  follow  her; 
for  to  tell  the  truth,  he  was  afraid  she  would  never 
come  back. 

"No,  no;  lie  still,  I  say,"  said  the  bride.  "See, 
here's  a  long  hair-rope ;  tie  it  round  me,  and  I'll  leave 
the  door  ajar.  So  if  you  think  I'm  too  long  away  you 
have  only  to  pull  the  rope  and  then  you'll  drag  me  in 
again." 

Yes,  Matt  was  content  with  that ;  but  as  soon  as  the 
lassie  got  out  into  the  yard  she  caught  a  billy-goat,  and 
untied  the  rope  and  tied  it  round  him. 

So  when  Matt  thought  she  was  too  long  out  of  doors 
he  began  to  haul  in  the  rope,  and  so  he  dragged  the 
billy-goat  up  into  bed  to  him.  But  when  he  had  lain  a 
while,  he  bawled  out — 

"  Mother  !  mother !  my  bride  has  horns  like  a  billy- 
goat." 

"  Stuff,  silly  boy,  to  lie  and  bewail  yourself,"  said 
his  mother.  "It's  only  her  hair-plaits,  poor  thing, 
I'm  sure." 

In  a  little  while  Matt  called  out  again — 

"  Mother !  mother !  my  bride  has  a  beard  like  a  goat." 

"Stuff,  silly  boy,  to  lie  there  and  rave,"  said  the 
goody. 

But  there  was  no  rest  in  that  house  that  night,  for 
in  a  little  while  Matt  screeched  out  that  his  bride  was 
like  a  billy-goat  all  over.  So  when  it  grew  towards 
morning  the  goody  said — 


Silly  Matt  375 

"Jump  up,  my  son,  and  make  a  fire." 

So  Matt  climbed  up  to  a  shelf  under  the  roof,  and 
set  fire  to  some  straw  and  chips  and  other  rubbish 
that  lay  there.  But  then  such  a  smoke  rose,  that  he 
couldn't  bear  it  any  longer  in-doors.  He  was  forced  to 
go  out,  and  just  then  the  day  broke.  As  for  the  goody, 
she,  too,  had  to  make  a  start  of  it ;  and  when  they  got 
out  the  house  was  on  fire,  so  that  the  flames  came  right 
out  at  the  roof. 

"  Good  luck  !  good  luck  !  Hip,  hip,  hurrah  !  "  roared 
out  Matt,  for  he  thought  it  fine  fun  to  have  such  an 
ending  to  his  bridal  feast. 


King  Valemon,  the  White  Bear 


'OW  once  on  a  time  there  was, 
as  there  well  might  be,  a  king. 
He  had  two  daughters  who 
were  ugly  and  bad,  but 
the  third  was  as  fair  and 
as  soft  as  the  bright  day, 
and  the  king  and  every 
one  was  glad  of  her.  So 
one  day  she  dreamt  of 
a  golden  wreath  that  was  so  lovely 
she  couldn't  live  until  she  had  it. 
But  as  she  could  not  get  it,  she 
grew  sullen  and  wouldn't  so  much 
as  talk  for  grief;  and  when  the 
king  knew  it  was  the  wreath  she 
sorrowed  for,  he  sent  out  a  pattern  cut  just  like  the 
one  that  the  princess  had  dreamt  of,  and  sent  word  to 
goldsmiths  in  every  land  to  see  if  they  could  get  the 
like  of  it.  So  the  goldsmiths  worked  night  and  day; 
but  some  of  the  wreaths  she  tossed  away  from  her, 
and  the  rest  she  would  not  so  much  as  look  at. 

But  once  when  she  was  in  the  wood  she  set  her 
eyes  upon  a  white  bear,  who  had  the  very  wreath  she 

had  dreamt  of  between  his  paws,  and  played  with  it. 

376 


King  Fa  lemon,  the  White  Bear      277 

Then  she  wanted  to  buy  it.  No,  it  was  not  for  sale 
for  money,  but  she  might  have  it  if  he  might  have 
her.  Yes,  she  said,  it  was  never  worth  living  without 
it.  It  was  all  the  same  to  her  whither  she  went  and 
whom  she  got,  if  she  could  only  have  that  wreath  ;  and 
so  it  was  settled  between  them  that  he  should  fetch 


her  when  three  days  were  up,   and  that  day  was  a 
Thursday. 

So  when  she  came  home  with  the  wreath,  every  one 
was  glad  because  she  was  glad  again,  and  the  king 
said,  he  thought  it  could  never  be  so  hard  to  stop  a 
white  bear.  So  the  third  day  he  turned  out  his  whole 
army  round  the  castle  to  withstand  him.  But  when 
the  white  bear  came  there  was  no  one  who  could  stand 
before  him,  for  no  weapon  would  bite  on  his  hide,  and 
he  hurled  them  down  right  and  left,  so  that  they  lay  in 


378  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

heaps  on  either  side.  All  this  the  king  thought  right 
down  scathe ;  so  he  sent  out  his  eldest  daughter,  and 
the  white  bear  took  her  upon  his  back  and  went  off 
with  her.  And  when  they  had  gone  far  and  farther 
than  far,  the  white  bear  asked — 

"  Have  you  ever  sat  softer,  and  have  you  ever  seen 
clearer  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  on  my  mother's  lap  I  sat  softer,  and  in  my 
father's  hall  I  saw  clearer,"  she  said. 

"  Oh,"  said  the  white  bear,  "  then  you're  not  the 
right  one; "  and  with  that  he  hunted  her  home  again. 

The  next  Thursday  he  came  again,  and  it  all  went 
just  the  same.  The  army  went  out  to  withstand  the 
white  bear ;  but  neither  iron  nor  steel  bit  on  his  hide, 
and  so  he  dashed  them  down  like  grass  till  the  king 
begged  him  to  hold  hard,  and  then  he  sent  out  to  him 
his  next  oldest  daughter,  and  the  white  bear  took  her 
on  his  back  and  went  off  with  her.  So  when  they 
had  travelled  far  and  farther  than  far,  the  white  bear 
asked — 

"  Have  you  ever  seen  clearer,  and  have  you  ever  sat 
softer  ?  " 

"Yes,"  she  said;  "in  my  father's  hall  I  saw  clearer, 
and  on  my  mother's  lap  I  sat  softer." 

"Oh,  then  you  are  not  the  right  one,"  said  the 
white  bear,  and  with  that  he  hunted  her  too  home 
again. 

The  third  Thursday  he  came  again,  and  then  he 
smote  the  army  harder  than  he  had  done  before ;  so 
the  king  thought  he  couldn't  let  him  slay  his  whole 
army  like  that,  and  he  gave  him  his  third  daughter  in 
God's  name.     So  he  took  her  up  on  his  back  and  went 


King  Valemon^  the  White  Bear      379 

away  far  and  farther  than  far;  and  when  they  had 
gone  deep,  deep  into  the  wood,  he  asked  her  as  he  had 
asked  the  others,  whether  she  had  ever  sat  softer  or 
seen  clearer  ? 

"  No,  never,"  she  said. 

"Ah!"  he  said,  "you  are  the  right  one." 


So  they  came  to  a  castle  which  was  so  grand,  that 
the  one  her  father  had  was  like  the  poorest  place  when 
set  against  it.  There  she  was  to  be  and  live  happily, 
and  she  was  to  have  nothing  else  to  do  but  to  see  that 
the  fire  never  went  out.  The  bear  was  away  by  day, 
but  at  night  he  was  with  her,  and  then  he  was  a  man. 
So  all  went  well  for  three  years;  but  each  year  she 


380  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

had  a  baby,  and  he  took  it  and  carried  it  off  as  soon  as 
ever  it  came  into  the  world.  Then  she  got  more  and 
more  dull,  and  begged  she  might  have  leave  to  go  home 
and  see  her  parents.  Well,  there  were  nothing  to 
stop  that;  but  first,  she  had  to  give  her  word  that 
she  would  listen  to  what  her  father  said,  but  not  do 
what  her  mother  wished.  So  she  went  home;  and 
when  they  were  alone  with  her,  and  she  had  told  how 
she  was  treated,  her  mother  wanted  to  give  her  a  light 
to  take  back  that  she  might  see  what  kind  of  man  he 
was. 

But  her  father  said,  "  No,  she  mustn't  do  that,  for 
it  will  lead  to  harm,  and  not  to  gain." 

But  however  it  happened,  so  it  happened ;  she  got  a 
bit  of  a  candle-end  to  take  with  her  when  she  started. 

So  the  first  thing  she  did  when  he  was  sound  asleep 
was  to  light  the  candle-end  and  throw  a  light  on  him ; 
and  he  was  so  lovely,  she  never  though  she  could  gaze 
enough  at  him ;  but  as  she  held  the  candle  over  him,  a 
hot  drop  of  tallow  dropped  on  his  forehead,  and  he 
woke  up. 

"  What  is  this  you  have  done  ?  "  he  said.  "  Now 
you  have  made  us  both  unlucky ;  there  was  no  more 
than  a  month  left,  and  had  you  lasted  it  out,  I  should 
have  been  saved  ;  for  a  hag  of  the  Trolls  has  bewitched 
me,  and  I  am  a  white  bear  by  day.  But  now  it  is  all 
over  between  us,  for  now  I  must  go  to  her  and  take 
her  to  wife." 

She  wept  and  bemoaned  herself;  but  he  must  set  off, 
and  he  would  set  off.  Then  she  asked  if  she  might  not 
go  with  him.  "  No,"  he  said,  "  there  was  no  way  of 
doing  that."     But  for  all  that,  when  he  set  off  in  his 


King  Va lemon ,  the  White  Bear      381 

bear-shape  she  took  hold  of  his  shaggy  hide  and  threw 
herself  upon  his  back,  and  held  on  fast. 


So  away  they  went  over  crags  and  hills,  and  through 
brakes  and  briars,  till  her  clothes  were  torn  off  her 


382  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

back,  and  she  was  so  dead  tired,  that  she  let  go  her 
hold  and  lost  her  wits.  When  she  came  to  herself  she 
was  in  a  great  wood,  and  then  she  set  off  again,  but 
she  could  not  tell  whither  she  was  going.  So  after  a 
long,  long  time  she  came  to  a  hut,  and  there  she  saw 
two  women,  an  old  woman  and  a  pretty  little  girl. 
Then  the  princess  asked,  had  they  seen  anything  of 
King  Valemon,  the  white  bear. 

"  Yes,"  they  said ;  "  he  passed  by  here  this  morn- 
ing early,  but  he  went  so  fast  you'll  never  be  able  to 
catch  him  up." 

As  for  the  girl,  she  ran  about  clipping  in  the  air  and 
playing  with  a  pair  of  golden  scissors,  which  were  of 
that  kind  that  silk  and  satin  stuffs  flew  all  about  her 
if  she  only  clipped  the  air  with  them.  Where  they 
were,  there  was  never  any  want  of  clothes. 

"  But  this  woman,"  said  the  little  lass,  "  who  is  to 
go  so  far  and  on  such  bad  ways,  she  will  suffer  much ; 
she  may  well  have  more  need  of  these  scissors  than  I 
to  cut  out  her  clothes  with." 

And  as  she  said  this  she  begged  her  mother  so  hard, 
that  at  last  she  got  leave  to  give  her  the  scissors. 

So  away  travelled  the  princess  through  the  wood, 
which  seemed  never  to  come  to  an  end,  both  day  and 
night,  and  next  morning  she  came  to  another  hut.  In 
it  there  were  also  two  women,  an  old  wife  and  a  young 
girl. 

"  Good-day  !  "  said  the  princess  ;  "  have  you  seen 
anything  of  King  Valemon,  the  white  bear?"  That 
was  what  she  asked  them. 

"  Was  it  you,  maybe,  who  was  to  have  him  ?  "  said 
the  old  wife. 


King  Valemon,  the  White  Bear       383 

"Yes,  it  was." 

"  Well,  he  passed  by  yesterday,  but  he  went  so  fast 
you'll  never  be  able  to  catch  him  up." 

This  little  girl  played  about  on  the  floor  with  a  flask, 
which  was  of  that  kind  it  poured  out  every  drink  any 
one  wished  to  have. 

"  But  this  poor  wife,"  said  the  girl,  "  who  has  to  go 
so  far  on  such  bad  ways,  I  think  she  may  well  be 
thirsty  and  suffer  much  other  ill.  No  doubt  she  needs 
this  flask  more  than  I ;  "  and  so  she  asked  if  she  might 
have  leave  to  give  her  the  flask.  Yes,  that  leave  she 
might  have. 

So  the  princess  got  the  flask,  and  thanked  them, 
and  set  off  again  away  through  the  same  wood,  both 
that  day  and  the  next  night,  too.  The  third  morning 
she  came  to  a  hut,  where  there  was  also  an  old  wife 
and  a  little  girl. 

"  Good-day  !  "  said  the  princess. 

"Good-day  to  you,"  said  the  old  wife. 

"  Have  you  seen  anything  of  King  Valemon,  the 
white  bear  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Maybe  it  was  you  who  was  to  have  him  ?  "  said 
the  old  wife. 

"Yes,  it  was." 

"  Well,  he  passed  by  here  the  day  before  yesterday, 
but  he  went  so  fast  you'll  never  be  able  to  catch  him 
up,"  she  said. 

This  little  girl  played  about  on  the  floor  with  a 
napkin,  which  was  of  that  kind  that  when  one  said  on 
it,  "  Napkin,  spread  yourself  out  and  be  covered  with 
all  dainty  dishes,"  it  did  so,  and  where  it  was  there 
was  never  any  want  of  a  good  dinner 


384  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

"  But  this  poor  wife,"  said  the  little  girl,  "  who  has 
to  go  so  far  over  such  bad  ways,  she  may  well  be 
starving  and  suffering  much  other  ill.  I  dare  say  she 
has  far  more  need  of  this  napkin  than  I ;  "  and  so  she 
asked  if  she  might  have  leave  to  give  her  the  napkin, 
and  she  got  it. 

So  the  princess  took  the  napkin  and  thanked  them, 
and  set  off  again  far  and  farther  than  far,  away  through 
the  same  murk  wood  all  that  day  and  night,  and  in  the 
morning  she  came  to  a  cross-fell,  which  was  as  steep  as 
a  wall,  and  so  high  and  broad,  she  could  see  no  end  to 
it.  There  was  a  hut  there,  too ;  and  as  soon  as  she  set 
her  foot  inside  it,  she  said — 

"  Good-day !  have  you  seen  if  King  Valemon,  the 
white  bear,  has  passed  this  way  ?  " 

"  Good-day  to  you,"  said  the  old  wife.  "  It  was  you, 
maybe,  who  was  to  have  him  ?  " 

"Yes,  it  was." 

"Well,  he  passed  by  and  went  up  over  the  hill 
three  days  ago ;  but  up  that  nothing  can  get  that  is 
wingless." 

That  hut,  you  must  know,  was  all  so  full  of  small 
bairns,  and  they  all  hung  round  their  mother's  skirt 
and  bawled  for  food.  Then  the  goody  put  a  pot  on 
the  fire  full  of  small  round  pebbles.  When  the 
princess  asked  what  that  was  for,  the  goody  said  they 
were  so  poor  they  had  neither  food  nor  clothing,  and  it 
went  to  her  heart  to  hear  the  children  screaming  for  a 
morsel  of  food ;  but  when  she  put  the  pot  on  the  fire, 
and  said — 

"The  potatoes  will  soon  be  ready,"  the  words  dulled 
their  hunger,  and  uiey  were  patient  awhile. 


King  Valemon,  the  White  Bear      385 

It  was  not  long  before  the  princess  brought  out  the 
napkin  and  the  flask,  that  you  may  be  sure ;  and  when 
the  children  were  all  full  and  glad,  she  cut  them  out 
clothes  with  her  golden  scissors. 

"Well,"  said  the  goody  in  the  hut,  "since  you  have 
been  so  kind  and  good  towards  me  and  my  bairns,  it 
were  a  shame  if  I  didn't  do  all  in  my  power  to  try  to 
help  you  over  the  hill.  My  husband  is  one  of  the  best 
smiths  in  the  world,  and  now  you  must  lie  down  and 
rest  till  he  comes  home,  and  then  I'll  get  him  to  forge 
you  claws  for  your  hands  and  feet,  and  then  you  can 
see  if  you  can  crawl  and  scramble  up." 

So  when  the  smith  came  home  he  set  to  work  at 
once  at  the  claws,  and  next  morning  they  were  ready. 
She  had  no  time  to  stay,  but  said,  "Thank  you,"  and 
then  clung  close  to  the  rock  and  crept  and  crawled  with 
the  steel  claws  all  that  day  and  the  next  night ;  and  just 
as  she  felt  so  very,  very  tired  that  she  thought  she  could 
scarce  lift  hand  or  foot,  but  must  slip  down,  there  she 
was  all  right  at  the  top.  There  she  found  a  plain,  with 
tilled  fields  and  meads,  so  big  and  broad,  she  never 
thought  there  could  be  any  land  so  wide  and  so  flat ; 
and  close  by  was  a  castle  full  of  workmen  of  all  kinds, 
who  swarmed  like  ants  on  an  ant-hill. 

"  What  is  going  on  here  ?  "  asked  the  princess. 

Well,  if  she  must  know,  there  lived  the  old  hag 
who  had  bewitched  King  Valemon,  the  white  bear,  and 
in  three  days  she  was  to  hold  her  wedding  feast  with 
him.  Then  she  asked  if  she  mightn't  have  a  word 
with  her.  "  No !  was  it  likely  ?  It  was  quite  im- 
possible." So  she  sat  down  under  the  window  and 
began  to  clip  in  the  air  with  her  golden  scissors,  till 

2  B 


386  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

the  silks  and  satins  flew  about  as  thick  as  a  snow- 
drift. 

But  when  the  old  hag  saw  that,  she  was  all  for 
buying  the  golden  scissors,  for  she  said,  "  All  our  tailors 
can  do  is  no  good  at  all,  we  have  too  many  to  find 
clothes  for." 

So  the  princess  said,  "  It  was  not  for  sale  for  money, 
but  she  should  have  it,  if  she  got  leave  to  sleep  with 
her  sweetheart  that  night." 

"  Yes,"  the  old  hag  said,  "  she  might  have  that  leave 
and  welcome ;  but  she  herself  must  lull  him  off  to  sleep, 
and  wake  him  in  the  morning." 

And  so  when  he  went  to  bed  she  gave  him  a  sleeping 
draught,  so  that  he  could  not  keep  an  eye  open,  for  all 
that  the  princess  cried  and  wept. 

Next  day  the  princess  went  under  the  window  again, 
and  began  to  pour  out  drink  from  her  flask.  It  frothed 
like  a  brook  with  ale  and  wine,  and  it  was  never  empty. 
So  when  the  old  hag  saw  that,  she  was  all  for  buying 
it,  for  she  said — 

"  For  all  our  brewing  and  stilling,  it's  no  good,  we 
have  too  many  to  find  drink  for." 

But  the  princess  said,  "  It  was  not  for  sale  for 
money,  but  if  she  might  have  leave  to  sleep  with  her 
sweetheart  that  night,  she  might  have  it." 

"Well,"  the  old  hag  said,  "she  might  have  that 
leave  and  welcome ;  but  she  must  herself  lull  him  off 
to  sleep,  and  wake  him  in  the  morning." 

So  when  he  went  to  bed  she  gave  him  another 
sleeping  draught,  so  that  it  went  no  better  that  night 
than  the  first.  He  was  not  able  to  keep  his  eyes  open, 
for  all  that  the  princess  bawled  and  wept. 


King  Va lemon  ^  the  White  Bear       387 

But  that  night  there  was  one  of  the  workmen  who 
worked  in  a  room  next  to  theirs.  He  heard  the 
weeping  and  knew  how  things  stood,  and  next  day  he 
told  the  prince  that  she  must  be  come,  that  princess 
who  was  to  set  him  free. 

That  day  it  was  just  the  same  story  with  the  napkin 
as  with  the  scissors  and  the  flask.  When  it  was  about 
dinner-time  the  princess  went  outside  the  castle,  took 
out  the  napkin,  and  said,  "Napkin,  spread  yourself  out 
and  be  covered  with  all  dainty  dishes,"  and  there  was 
meat  enough,  and  to  spare,  for  hundreds  of  men ;  but 
the  princess  sat  down  to  table  by  herself. 

So  when  the  old  hag  set  her  eyes  on  the  napkin, 
she  wanted  to  buy  it,  "  For  all  their  roasting  and  boil- 
ing is  worth  nothing,  we  have  too  many  mouths  to 
feed." 

But  the  princess  said,  "  It  was  not  for  sale  for  money, 
but  if  she  might  have  leave  to  sleep  with  her  sweet- 
heart that  night,  she  might  have  it." 

"  Well,  she  might  do  so  and  welcome,"  said  the  old 
hag ;  "  but  she  must  first  lull  him  off  to  sleep,  and  wake 
him  up  in  the  morning." 

So  when  he  was  going  to  bed,  she  came  with  the 
sleeping  draught ;  but  this  time  he  was  aware  of  her, 
and  made  as  though  he  slept.  But  the  old  hag  did 
not  trust  him  for  all  that,  for  she  took  a  pin  and  stuck 
it  into  his  arm  to  try  if  he  were  sound  asleep ;  but 
for  all  the  pain  it  gave  him  he  did  not  stir  a  bit,  and 
so  the  princess  got  leave  to  come  in  to  him. 

Then  everything  was  soon  set  right  between  them  ; 
and  if  they  could  only  get  rid  of  the  old  hag,  he  would 
be  free.    So  he  got  the  carpenters  to  make  him  a  trap- 


388  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

door  on  the  bridge  over  which  the  bridal  train  had  to 
pass,  for  it  was  the  custom  there  that  the  bride  rode  at 
the  head  of  the  train  with  her  friends. 

So  when  they  got  well  on  the  bridge,  the  trap-door 
tipped  up  with  the  bride  and  all  the  other  old  hags 
who  were  her  bridesmaids.  But  King  Valemon  and 
the  princess,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  train,  turned  back 
to  the  castle  and  took  all  they  could  carry  away  of  the 
gold  and  goods  of  the  old  hag,  and  so  they  set  off  for 
his  own  land,  and  were  to  hold  their  real  wedding. 

And  on  the  way  King  Valemon  picked  up  those 
three  little  girls  in  the  three  huts  and  took  them  with 
them ;  and  now  she  saw  why  it  was  he  had  taken  her 
babes  away  and  put  them  out  at  nurse :  it  was  that 
they  might  help  her  to  find  him  out.  And  so  they 
drank  their  bridal  ale  both  stiff  and  strong. 


"The  trap-door  tipped  up  with  the  bride' 


The   Golden   Bird 


ONCE  on  a  time  there  was  a  king  who  had  a 
garden,  and  in  that  garden  stood  an  apple-tree, 
and  on  that  apple-tree  grew  one  golden  apple 
every  year.  But  when  the  time  drew  on  for  plucking 
it,  away  it  went,  and  there  was  no  one  who  could  tell 
who  took  it,  or  what  became  of  it.  It  was  gone,  and 
that  was  all  they  knew. 

This  king  had  three  sons,  and  so  he  said  to  them  one 
day  that  he  of  them  who  could  get  him  his  apple  again 
or  lay  hold  of  the  thief  should  have  the  kingdom  after 
him,  were  he  the  eldest,  or  the  youngest,  or  the  mid- 
most. 

So  the  eldest  set  out  first  on  this  quest,  and  sat  him 
down  under  the  tree,  and  was  to  watch  for  the  thief; 
and  when  night  drew  near  a  golden  bird  came  flying, 
and  his  feathers  gleamed  a  long  way  off;  but  when 
the  king's  son  saw  the  bird  and  his  beams,  he  got  so 
afraid  he  daren't  stay  his  watch  out,  but  flew  back 
into  the  palace  as  fast  as  ever  he  could. 

Next  morning  the  apple  was  gone.  By  that  time 
the  king's  son  had  got  back  his  heart  into  his  body, 
and  so  he  fell  to  filling  his  scrip  with  food,  and  was  all 
for  setting  out  to  try  if  he  could  find  the  bird.  So  the 
king  fitted  him  out  well,  and  spared  neither  money  nor 


392 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


clothes ;  and  when  the  king's  son  had  gone  a  bit  he  got 
hungry,  and  took  out  his  scrip,  and  sat  him  down  to 
eat  his  dinner  by  the  wayside.  Then  out  came  a  fox 
from  a  spruce  clump  and  sat  by  him  and  looked  on. 


&i  .utter 


"Do,  dear  friend,  give  me  a  morsel  of  food,"  said 
the  fox. 

"  I'll  give  you  burnt  horn,  that  I  will,"  said  the  king's 
son.  "  I'm  like  to  need  food  myself,  for  no  one  knows 
how  far  and  how  long  I  may  have  to  travel." 

"  Oh !  that's  your  game,  is  it  ?  "  said  the  fox,  and 
back  he  went  into  the  wood. 


The  Golden  Bird  393 

So  when  the  king's  son  had  eaten  and  rested  awhile 
he  set  off  on  his  way  again.  After  a  long,  long  time 
he  came  to  a  great  town,  and  in  that  town  there  was 
an  inn,  where  there  was  always  mirth  and  never  sorrow; 
there  he  thought  it  would  be  good  to  be,  and  so  he 
turned  in  there.  But  there  was  so  much  dancing  and 
drinking,  and  fun  and  jollity,  that  he  forgot  the  bird 
and  its  feathers,  and  his  father,  and  his  quest,  and  the 
whole  kingdom.     Away  he  was,  and  away  he  stayed. 

The  year  after,  the  king's  midmost  son  was  to  watch 
for  the  apple-thief  in  the  garden.  Yes ;  he  too  sat  him 
down  under  the  tree  when  it  began  to  ripen.  So  all  at 
once  one  night  the  golden  bird  came  shining  like  the 
sun,  and  the  lad  got  so  afraid,  he  put  his  tail  between 
his  legs  and  ran  in-doors  as  fast  as  ever  he  could. 

Next  morning  the  apple  was  gone ;  but  by  that  time 
the  king's  son  had  taken  heart  again,  and  was  all  for 
setting  off  to  see  if  he  could  find  the  bird.  Yes,  he 
began  to  put  up  his  travelling  fare,  and  the  king  fitted 
him  out  well,  and  spared  neither  clothes  nor  money. 
But  just  the  same  befell  him  as  had  befallen  his  brother. 
When  he  had  travelled  a  bit  he  got  hungry,  and  opened 
his  scrip,  and  sat  him  down  to  eat  his  dinner  by  the 
wayside.  So  out  came  a  fox  from  a  spruce  clump  and 
sat  up  and  looked  on. 

"Dear  friend,  give  me  a  morsel  of  food,  do?"  said 
the  fox. 

"  I'll  give  you  burnt  horn,  that  I  will,"  said  the  king's 
son.  "  I  may  come  to  need  food  myself,  for  no  one 
knows  how  far  and  how  long  I  may  have  to  go." 

"  Oh  !  that's  your  game,  is  it  ?  "  said  the  fox,  and 
away  he  went  into  the  wood  again. 


394  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

So  when  the  king's  son  had  eaten  and  rested  himself 
awhile  he  set  off  on  his  way  again.  And  after  a  long, 
long  time  he  came  to  the  same  town  and  the  same  inn 
where  there  was  always  mirth  and  never  sorrow,  and 
he  too  thought  it  would  be  good  to  turn  in  there;  and 
the  very  first  man  he  met  was  his  brother,  and  so  he 
too  stayed  there.  His  brother  had  feasted  and  drank 
till  he  had  scarce  any  clothes  to  his  back  ;  but  now  they 
both  begun  anew,  and  there  was  such  drinking  and 
dancing,  and  fun  and  jollity,  that  the  second  brother 
also  forgot  the  bird  and  its  feathers,  and  his  father,  the 
quest,  and  the  whole  kingdom.  Away  he  was,  and  away 
he  stayed,  he  too. 

So  when  the  time  drew  on  that  the  apple  was  getting 
ripe  again,  the  king's  youngest  son  was  to  go  out  into 
the  garden  and  watch  for  the  apple-thief.  Now  he 
took  with  him  a  comrade,  who  was  to  help  him  up  into 
the  tree,  and  they  took  with  them  a  keg  of  ale  and  a 
pack  of  cards  to  while  away  the  time,  so  that  they 
should  not  fall  asleep.  All  at  once  came  a  blaze  as 
of  the  sun,  and  just  as  the  golden  bird  pounced  down 
and  snapped  up  the  apple,  the  king's  son  tried  to  seize 
it,  but  he  only  got  a  feather  out  of  its  tail.  So  he  went 
into  the  king's  bedroom,  and  when  he  came  in  with  the 
feather  the  room  was  as  bright  as  broad  day. 

So  he  too  would  go  out  into  the  wide  world  to  try 
if  he  could  hear  any  tidings  of  his  brothers  and  catch 
the  bird ;  for  after  all,  he  had  been  so  near  it  that  he 
had  put  his  mark  on  it,  and  got  a  feather  out  of  its 
tail. 

Well,  the  king  was  long  in  making  up  his  mind  if  he 
should  let  him  go,  for  he  thought  it  would  not  be  better 


The  Golden  Bird  395 

with  him  who  was  the  youngest  than  with  the  eldest, 
who  ought  to  have  had  more  knowledge  of  the  ways  of 
the  world,  and  he  was  afraid  he  might  lose  him  too. 
But  the  king's  son  begged  so  prettily,  that  he  had  to 
give  him  leave  at  last. 

So  he  began  to  pack  up  his  travelling  fare,  and  the 
king  fitted  him  out  well,  both  with  clothes  and  money, 
and  so  he  set  off.  So  when  he  had  travelled  a  bit  he 
got  hungry  and  opened  his  scrip,  and  sat  him  down 
to  eat  his  dinner;  and  just  as  he  put  the  first  bit  into 
his  mouth  a  fox  came  out  of  a  spruce  clump,  and  sat 
down  by  him  and  looked  on. 

"  Oh,  dear  friend,  give  me  a  morsel  of  food,  do," 
said  the  fox. 

"  I  might  very  well  come  to  need  food  for  myself," 
said  the  king's  son ;  "  for  I'm  sure  I  can't  tell  how 
far  I  shall  have  to  go;  but  so  much  I  know,  that  I 
can  just  give  you  a  little  bit." 

So  when  the  fox  had  got  a  bit  of  meat  to  bite  at,  he 
asked  the  king's  son  whither  he  was  bound.  Well,  he 
told  him  what  he  was  trying  to  do. 

"  If  you  will  listen  to  me,"  said  the  fox,  "  I  will  help 
you,  so  that  you  shall  take  luck  along  with  you." 

Then  the  king's  son  gave  his  word  to  listen  to  him, 
and  so  they  set  off  in  company,  and  when  they  had 
travelled  awhile  they  came  to  the  self-same  town  and 
the  self-same  inn  where  there  was  always  mirth  and 
never  sorrow. 

"  Now  I  may  just  as  well  stay  outside  the  town," 
said  the  fox.     "Those  dogs  are  such  a  bore." 

And  then  he  told  him  what  his  brothers  had  done, 
and  what  they  were  still  doing,  and  he  went  on. 


396 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


"  If  you  go  in  there  you'll  get  no  farther  either.  Do 
you  hear  ?  " 

So  the  king's  son  gave  his  word,  and  his  hand  into 
the  bargain,  that  he  wouldn't  go  in  there,  and  they 
each  went  his  way.  But  when  the  prince  got  to  the 
inn  and  heard  what  music  and  jollity  there  was  inside, 

he  could  not  help  going 
in,  there  were  not  two 
words  about  that;  and 
when  he  met  his  brothers, 
there  was  such  a  to-do, 
that  he  forgot  both  the 
fox  and  his  quest,  and  the 
bird  and  his  father.  But 
when  he  had  been  there 
awhile  the  fox  came — for 
he  had  ventured  into  the 
town  after  all — and  peeped 
through  the  door,  and 
winked  at  the  king's  son, 
and  said  now  they  must 
set  off.  So  the  prince  came  to  his  senses  again,  and 
away  they  started  for  the  house. 

And  when  they  had  gone  awhile  they  saw  a  big  fell 
far,  far  off.     Then  the  fox  said — 

"Three  hundred  miles  behind  yon  fell  there  grows 
a  gilded  linden  tree  with  golden  leaves,  and  in  that 
linden  roosts  the  golden  bird  whose  feather  that  is." 

So  they  travelled  thither  together;  and  when  the 
king's  son  was  going  off  to  catch  the  bird,  the  fox  gave 
him  some  fine  feathers  which  he  was  to  wave  with  his 
hand  to  lure  the  bird  down   and  then  it  would  come 


The  Golden  Bird 


397 


flying  and  perch  on  his  hand.  But  the  fox  told  him 
to  mind  and  not  touch  the  linden,  for  there  was  a  big 
Troll  who  owned  it,  and  if  the  king's  son  but  touched 
the  tiniest  twig,  the  Troll  would  come  and  slay  him  on 
the  spot. 

Nay,  the  king's  son  would  be  sure  not  to  touch  it, 
he  said ;  but  when  he  had  got 
the  bird  on  his  fist,  he  thought 
he  just  would  have  a  twig  of 
the  linden ;  that  was  past  pray- 
ing against,  it  was  so  bright  and 
lovely.  So  he  took  one,  just 
one  very  tiny  little  one.  But 
in  a  trice  out  came  the  Troll. 

"Who  is  it  that  steals 
my  linden  and  my  bird  ? " 
he  roared;  and  was  so  angry, 
that  sparks  of  fire  flashed  from 
him. 

"Thieves  think  every  man  a 
thief,"  said  the  king's  son;  "but 
none  are  hanged  but  those  who 
don't  steal  right" 

But  the  Troll  said  it  was  all  one,  and  was  just  going 
to  smite  him ;  but  the  lad  said  he  must  spare  his  life. 

"Well,  well,"  said  the  Troll,  "if  you  can  get  me 
again  the  horse  which  my  nearest  neighbour  has  stolen 
from  me,  you  shall  get  off  with  your  life." 

"  But  where  shall  I  find  him  ? "  asked  the  king's 
son. 

"  Oh,  he  lives  three  hundred  miles  beyond  yon  big 
fell  that  looks  blue  in  the  sky." 


398 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


So  the  king's  son  gave  his  word  to  do  his  best.  But 
when  he  met  the  fox,  Reynard  was  not  altogether  in  a 
soft  temper. 

"Now  you  have  behaved  badly/'  he  said.  "Had 
you  done  as  I  bade  you,  we  should  have  been  on  our 
way  home  by  this  time." 

So  they  had  to  make  a  fresh  start,  as  life  was  at 
stake,  and  the  prince  had 
given  his  word,  and  after  a 
long,  long  time  they  got  to 
the  spot.  And  when  the 
prince  was  to  go  and  take 
the  horse,  the  fox  said — 

"  When  you  come  into  the 
stable,  you  will  see  many  bits 
hanging  on  the  stalls,  both 
of  silver  and  gold  ;  them  you 
shall  not  touch,  for  then  the 
Troll  will  come  out  and  slay 
you  on  the  spot;  but  the 
ugliest  and  poorest,  that  you 
shall  take." 

Yes,  the  king's  son  gave 
his  word  to  do  that ;  but  when  he  got  into  the  stable 
he  thought  it  was  all  stuff,  for  there  was  enough  and 
to  spare  of  fine  bits  ;  and  so  he  took  the  brightest 
he  could  find,  and  it  shone  like  gold;  but  in  a  trice 
out  came  the  Troll,  so  cross  that  sparks  of  fire  flashed 
from  him. 

"Who  is  it  who  trys  to  steal  my  horse  and 
MY  BIT  ?  "  he  roared  out. 

"Thieves  think  every  man  a  thief,"  said  the  king's 


The  Golden  Bird  399 

son  ;  "  but  none  are  hanged  but  those  who  don't  steal 
right." 

"  Well,  all  the  same,"  said  the  Troll,  "  I'll  kill  you  on 
the  spot." 

But  the  king's  son  said  he  must  spare  his  life. 

"  Well,  well,"  said  the  Troll,  "  if  you  can  get  me 
back  the  lovely  maiden  my  nearest  neighbour  has  stolen 
from  me,  I'll  spare  your  life." 

"  Where  does  he  live,  then  ?  "  said  the  king's  son. 

"  Oh,  he  lives  three  hundred  miles  behind  that  big 
fell  that  is  blue,  yonder  in  the  sky,"  said  the  Troll. 

Yes,  the  king's  son  gave  his  word  to  fetch  the  maiden, 
and  then  he  had  leave  to  go,  and  got  off  with  his  life. 
But  when  he  came  out  of  doors  the  fox  was  not  in  the 
very  best  temper,  you  may  fancy. 

"Now  you  have  behaved  badly  again.  Had  you 
done  as  I  bade  you,  we  might  have  been  on  our  way 
home  long  ago.  Do  you  know,  I  almost  think  now  I 
won't  stay  with  you  any  longer." 

But  the  king's  son  begged  and  prayed  so  prettily 
from  the  bottom  of  his  heart,  and  gave  his  word  never 
to  do  anything  but  what  the  fox  said,  if  he  would  only 
be  his  companion.  At  last  the  fox  yielded,  and  they 
became  fast  friends  again,  and  so  they  set  off  afresh, 
and  after  a  long,  long  time  they  came  to  the  spot  where 
the  lovely  maiden  was. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  fox,  "  you  have  given  your  word  like 
a  man,  but  for  all  that,  I  dare  not  let  you  go  into  the 
Troll's  house  this  time.      I  must  go  myself." 

So  he  went  in,  and  in  a  little  while  he  came  out  with 
the  maiden,  and  so  they  travelled  back  by  the  same  way 
that  they  had  come.    And  when  they  came  back  to  the 


400 


Tales  from  the  Fjeld 


Troll  who  had  the  horse,  they  took  both  it  and  the 
grandest  bit ;  and  when  they  got  to  the  Troll  who 
owned  the  linden  and  the  bird,  they  took  both  the 
linden  and  the  bird,  and  set  off  with  them. 

So    when    they    had 


travelled  awhile,  they 
came  to  a  field  of  rye, 
and  the  fox  said — 

"  I  hear  a  noise ;  now 
you  must  ride  on  alone, 
and  I  will  bide  here 
awhile." 

So  he  plaited  himself 
a  dress  of  rye-straw, 
and  it  looked  just  like 
some  one  who  stood 
there  and  preached.  And 
he  had  scarcely  done 
that  before  all  three 
Trolls  came  flying  along, 
thinking  they  would 
overtake  them. 

"  Have  you  seen  any 
one  riding  by  here  with  a  lovely  maiden,  and  a  horse 
with  a  gold  bit,  and  a  golden  bird  and  a  gilded  linden- 
tree  ? "  they  all  roared  out  to  him  who  stood  there 
preaching. 

"  Yes,  I  heard  from  my  grandmother's  grandmother 
that  such  a  train  passed  by  here ;  but  Lord  bless  us ! 
that  was  in  the  good  old  time,  when  my  grandmother's 
grandmother  baked  cakes  for  a  penny,  and  gave  the 
penny  back  again." 


The  Golden  Bird 


401 


Then  all  the  three  Trolls  burst  out  into  loud  fits  of 
laughter.  "Ha!  Ha!  Ha!  Ha!"  they  cried,  and 
took  hold  of  one  another. 

"  If  we  have  slept  so  long,  we  may  e'en  just  turn  our 
noses  home,  and  go  to  bed,"  they  said ;  and  so  they 
went  back  by  the  way  they  had  come. 

Then  the  fox  started  off  after  the  king's  son ;  but 


when  they  got  to  the  town  where  the  inn  and  his 
brothers  were,  he  said — 

"  I  dare  not  go  through  the  town  for  the  dogs.  I  must 
take  my  own  way  round  about ;  but  now  you  must  take 
good  care  that  your  brothers  don't  lay  hold  of  you." 

But  when  the  king's  son  got  into  the  town,  he  thought 
it  very  hard  if  he  didn't  look  in  on  his  brothers  and  have 
a  word  with  them,  and  so  he  halted  a  little  time.  But 
as  soon  as  his  brothers  set  eyes  on  him,  they  came  out 
and  took  from  him  both  the  maiden,  and  the  horse,  and 
the  bird,  and  the  linden,  and  everything;  and  himself 

2  c 


4-02  Tales  from  the  Fjeld 

they  stuffed  into  a  cask  and  cast  him  into  the  lake,  and 
so  they  set  off  home  to  the  king's  palace,  with  the 
maiden,  and  the  horse,  and  the  bird,  and  linden,  and 
everything.  But  the  maiden  wouldn't  say  a  word  ;  she 
got  pale  and  wretched  to  look  at.  The  horse  got  so 
thin  and  starved,  all  his  bones  scarce  clung  together. 
The  bird  moped  and  shone  no  more,  and  the  linden 
withered  away. 

Meanwhile  the  fox  walked  about  outside  the  town 
where  the  inn  was  with  all  its  jollity,  and  he  listened 
and  waited  for  the  king's  son  and  the  lovely  maiden, 
and  wondered  why  they  did  not  come  back.  So  he 
went  hither  and  thither,  and  waited  and  longed,  and 
at  last  he  went  down  to  the  strand,  and  there  he  saw 
the  cask  which  lay  on  the  lake  drifting,  and  called  out — 

"Are  you  driven  about  there,  you  empty  cask  ?  " 

"Oh,  it  is  I,"  said  the  king's  son  inside  the  cask. 

Then  the  fox  swam  out  into  the  lake  as  fast  as  he 
could,  and  got  hold  of  the  cask  and  drew  it  on  shore. 
Then  he  began  to  gnaw  at  the  hoops  ;  and  when  he  had 
got  them  off  the  cask,  he  called  out  to  the  king's  son, 
"  Kick  and  stamp  !  " 

So  the  king's  son  struck  out  and  stamped  and  kicked, 
till  every  stave  burst  asunder,  and  out  he  jumped 
from  the  cask.  Then  they  went  together  to  the  king's 
palace,  and  when  they  got  there,  the  maiden  grew  lovely 
and  began  to  speak ;  the  horse  got  so  fat  and  sleek 
that  every  hair  beamed ;  the  bird  shone  and  sang ;  the 
linden  began  to  bloom  and  glitter  with  its  leaves ;  and 
at  last  the  maiden  said — 

"  Here  he  is  who  set  us  free !  " 

So  they  planted  the  linden  in  the  garden,  and  the 


The  Golden  Bird 


4°  3 


youngest  prince  was  to  have  the  princess,  for  she  was 
one,  of  course ;  but  as  for  the  two  elder  brothers,  they 
put  them  each  into  his  own  cask  full  of  nails,  and  rolled 
them  down  a  steep  hill. 

So  they  made  ready  for  the  bridal ;  but  first  the  fox 
said  to  the  prince  he  must  lay  him  on  the  chopping- 
block,  and  cut  his  head  off,  and  whether  he  thought  it 
good  or  ill,  there  was  no  help  for  it,  he  must  do  it.  But 
as  he  dealt  the  stroke  the  fox  became  a  lovely  prince, 
and  he  was  the  princess's  brother,  whom  they  had  set 
free  from  the  Trolls. 

So  the  bridal  came  on,  and  it  was  so  great  and  grand, 
that  the  story  of  that  feasting  spread  far  and  wide,  till 
it  reached  all  the  way  to  this  very  spot. 


